Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 3: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a sharp attack on the Waqf Board, accusing it of attempting to illegally capture land in Prayagraj. His remarks came a day after the Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025.
Speaking at an event marking Nishadraj Guha Jayanti in Prayagraj, CM Yogi questioned the legitimacy of Waqf land claims, particularly during the Maha Kumbh Mela.
“Some people did not want a mythological place like Prayagraj to regain its identity because their vote bank was more important for them. In the name of Waqf, they tried to capture land here and in other cities as well. When we were organizing the Maha Kumbh, the Waqf Board claimed that the land of Kumbh in Prayagraj also belongs to them. Is it the Waqf Board or a ‘Land Mafia Board’?” Yogi Adityanath questioned.
CM Yogi Praises PM Modi, Amit Shah for ‘Putting a Check’ on Waqf Board
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, CM Yogi said that the Waqf Amendment Bill was necessary to prevent misuse of land and bring transparency to Waqf properties.
“We have already wiped out the mafia from Uttar Pradesh. We are grateful to PM Modi and HM Amit Shah for putting a check on the Waqf Board and ensuring public welfare by passing this important act in the Lok Sabha. Today, it will be passed in the Rajya Sabha as well,” he asserted.
Rajya Sabha Takes Up Waqf Amendment Bill Amid Opposition Protests
Earlier today, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved a motion for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Musalmaan Wakf (Repeal) Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had passed the bill after a heated 12-hour debate, with 288 MPs voting in favor and 232 against. While opposition parties, including the INDIA bloc, strongly opposed the bill, the BJP and its allies defended it, claiming it would bring transparency and accountability in Waqf property management.
The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995, improve the administration of Waqf properties, streamline the registration process, and introduce technology-based management of Waqf records.
The bill’s passage in the Rajya Sabha is expected to intensify political tensions, with opposition leaders calling for protests and legal challenges.