New Delhi [India], April 2: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, strongly criticizing the UPA government’s 2013 amendments to the Waqf Act, particularly the provisions under Section 108.
Rijiju highlighted three key changes made in 2013, questioning why the UPA government allowed Sikhs, Hindus, Parsis, and others to create Waqf properties, despite the law traditionally being meant for Muslim endowments. He also criticized the creation of community-specific Waqf Boards and the inclusion of Section 108, which granted Waqf laws an overriding effect over other legal provisions.
He alleged that the UPA government denotified 123 properties, including the CGO Complex and the Parliament building, handing them over to the Delhi Waqf Board. Rijiju claimed that if the Modi government had not intervened, more properties could have been de-notified under the previous policies.
Clarifying the scope of the bill, Rijiju asserted that it does not interfere with any religious institutions, mosques, temples, or religious practices, but solely aims to streamline property management under the Waqf Board. He emphasized that misinterpretations of the bill were either due to a lack of understanding or deliberate misinformation.
In addition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Rijiju also introduced the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, for consideration and passage.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the role of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), dismissing opposition criticism. He accused previous Congress-led committees of merely approving decisions without deliberation, while asserting that the current JPC thoroughly examined and modified the bill based on discussions.
The bill, initially tabled in August last year, was reviewed by a JPC led by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. It seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 by improving Waqf property administration, streamlining the registration process, and incorporating technology for better management.