‘Balasaheb Thackeray also opposed Waqf’: Shiv Sena MP Mhaske slams opposition over Bill
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday considered the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, incorporating recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske, on Wednesday voiced his support for the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, accusing the opposition of misleading people by claiming that the bill is anti-Muslim.
Mhaske told ANI, “The Opposition is spreading misinformation that the Waqf Amendment Bill is against Muslims only for their own gains... Balasaheb Thackeray had also opposed Waqf. Sanjay Raut is a liar and a puppet of Rahul Gandhi.”
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday took up the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, for consideration. The bill includes recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which reviewed the version initially introduced in Parliament in August last year.
Ahead of the debate and voting, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena issued a three-line whip, directing all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House on April 2 and 3 and support the government's stance.
What is the Waqf Bill about?
Waqf refers to properties dedicated solely to religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law, with their sale or alternative use strictly prohibited.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 seeks to address issues in regulating and managing waqf properties by amending the 1995 Act. Its primary goal is to enhance the administration and efficiency of Waqf boards, streamline the registration process, and integrate technology for better record management.
According to the ministry of minority affairs, the bill proposes key reforms, including renaming the Act, updating the definition of Waqf, and improving governance mechanisms to ensure more effective management of waqf properties.
BJP says Waqf Bill for ‘progress’
Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday presented the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passage. The bill, as proposed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), aims to reform the administration and management of waqf properties.
While introducing the bill, Rijiju highlighted that the JPC’s consultation process was the most extensive exercise ever undertaken by a parliamentary panel in India’s democratic history.
He stated that the committee had received over 97.27 lakh petitions and memorandums, both online and offline, and thoroughly reviewed each before finalising its report. He also noted that 284 delegations shared their views on the bill, in addition to inputs from Waqf boards across 25 states and Union Territories.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi slammed the bill in Lok Sabha, saying,"Did the Minority Affairs Ministry make this bill, or did some other department make it? Where did this Bill come from?... Today, the condition of minorities in the country has become such that today, the government will have to give a certificate of their religion.
"Will they ask for a certificate from other religions whether you have completed five years or not? Why is this being asked in this bill? Why is the government interfering in this matter of religion," he added.
