Waqf amendment bill: Lok Sabha passes the legislation after fiery debate

Parliament session live: Waqf amendment bill joint parliamentary committee (JPC) and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal told news agency ANI that their "hardwork has paid off".

"The government is coming with the bill in an amended form today. This is definitely a historic day. Today, with the passing of this bill, the poor Muslims and common people are going to benefit...We have conducted the JPC meetings in the last six months. We have heard them (Opposition) 8 hours every day...Whether it is our opposition or the All India Muslim Personal Law Board appealing to wear black bands in Mosques during the prayer on Ramzan, they are politicising the issue," he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mohsin Raza on Wednesday said that passing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Parliament would be the biggest “Eidi” for marginalised Muslims.

“On behalf of all the downtrodden and backward Muslim brothers and sisters of the country, I thank Prime Minister Modi for this Waqf Amendment Bill. This will be the biggest 'Eidi' from PM Modi for backward Muslims,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.

Parliament session live: Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala said, "Definitely, we will oppose this bill if there is something in it that is against a particular community or trying to de-establish that community. They (government) have given eight hours today to discuss it. Our final agenda is that when there is a discussion, the issues raised by the opposition or the ruling party members should be considered because this is a democratic platform, they should not bulldoze like they did in the JPC."

Parliament session live: Congress leader Khaleequr Rahman said that the way the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the Waqf amendment bill went through the entire process is "highly disappointing".

"It was not expected from the JPC to conduct proceedings like this because all the recommendations which were submitted by most of the JPC members of the opposition parties have not been considered and taken into account, and rather, the BJP is trying to bulldoze things and trying to pass the bill...We are very clear from day one that we have rejected these amendments, and even our government has rejected this," Rahman told ANI.

Parliament session live: Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Zia ur Rehman Barq, said that the party is not opposing the bill because the BJP-NDA government is bringing it, "we are opposing this bill because there are many things in the bill which is taking away the rights of our people".

"When the government sent it to the JPC, we had some hope that maybe the shortcomings in it would be removed, but it was just a formality, and the report was presented only as per their wish. When this bill comes up in the House, we will strongly oppose it. The government may have majority figures, but its allies know that if they support this bill, they will have to face a lot of consequences in the coming times. That is why we want the government to stop being dictatorial and withdraw this bill," Barq told ANI.

Parliament session live: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav condemned the Waqf (Amendment) bill and called it "unconstitutional".

"We are people who believe in the Constitution. People of BJP want to impose 'Nagpur ka kanoon'; that is not at all acceptable to us. We believe in 'Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb', the diversity of our country is the beauty of it. From the beginning, we have opposed the Bill in both Houses of Parliament as well as the Bihar Legislative Assembly or Bihar Legislative Council," he told news agency ANI.

Yadav further said that his party will oppose it, adding that "such a bill never be acceptable to us".

Parliament session live: Jan Suraaj party chief Prashant Kishor, speaking to news agency ANI, said that the Waqf (Amendment) bill is "unfortunate".

"I don't see this as against Muslims or against Hindus...If you deviate from the commitments and assurances that our founding fathers gave to different sections of this country after independence, then it becomes the responsibility of the people of this generation to be truthful to those commitments," he said.

Kishor added that a large section of the Muslim community is feeling threatened by the Waqf bill.

Parliament session live: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday passed a resolution against the Waqf (amendment) bill, with party leader Daljit S Cheema reiterating their stance to stand with Muslims.

"Minorities are an important part of India," Cheema said, adding that no law should be passed without consensus from the community.

Parliament session live: Uttarakhand Waqf board chairman Shadab Shams on Tuesday attacked the opposition over their stance on the Waqf (Amendment) bill, 2024, saying that those opposing the bill not Muslims.

Speaking to ANI, Shams said, "Poor Muslims have hopes from PM Modi, and that is why we have named this amendment bill as 'Ummeed'. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju is the ray of hope... PM Modi's government has decided that they will bring the poor Muslims into the mainstream. It is '70 saal Vs Modi Karyakal'."

"They (opposition) looted Waqf. They looted the rights of the poor... They are scaring the Muslims by saying that mosques would be taken away. Those who are opposing are not Muslims. They are political Muslims of Congress, Samajwadi Party, AAP and Janata Dal. There are NGOs and committees behind them, such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the Muslim Personal Law Board, who want to go to the Rajya Sabha through a backdoor... All of them are Waqf beneficiaries. They are worried that it would be taken away from them... They are worried because it is going to be taken away from the rich. We are sure that PM Modi will pass the Waqf Amendment Bill and give the poor Muslims their rights," he added.

Parliament session live: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that it is to be seen whether Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo Uddhav Thackeray will uphold the ideology of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray during the Waqf amendment bill discussion in the Parliament on Wednesday.

"Let's see if Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray will uphold the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, the Hindu Hriday Samrat, or will continue to follow in the footsteps of Rahul Gandhi in appeasement politics," Fadnavis posted on X.

Parliament session live: Actor-politician Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party has decided to support the Waqf (Amendment) bill, a party release said, adding that it believes this law will "benefit" the Muslim community.

"Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan issued directions to party MPs in the Lok Sabha, instructing them to vote in favour of the bill in the Parliament," said Janasena in the release.

The party, TDP and BJP ally, has two MPs in the Lok Sabha.

Parliament session live: The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday slammed the BJP and alleged that the party's proposed Waqf bill is an attempt to divert attention from real issues like "falling rupee", inflation, and unemployment.

Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said in a statement that the BJP had promised in its 2009 manifesto to implement the Rahman Committee recommendations and had even supported the 2013 amendment bill.

He asked as to why the government as introducing a new bill when it had already informed the Supreme Court that 99 per cent of Waqf properties were digitized.

Parliament session live: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Tuesday appealed to all secular political parties, including allies of the BJP, and members of Parliament to strongly oppose the Waqf bill and not vote in its favour.

AIMPLB president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani strongly urged them to not only oppose the bill but also vote against it to "prevent the BJP's communal agenda".

In a statement, he said that the bill is not only based on discrimination and injustice but also directly contradicts the provision of fundamental rights under articles 14, 25, and 26 of the Constitution.

Rahmani alleged that through the bill, the BJP aims to weaken Waqf laws and pave the way for seizure and destruction of Waqf properties.

Parliament session live: The Telugu Desam Party, key ally of the ruling BJP, issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, to ensure their presence in the House on April 2 for the discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) bill.

According to a press release, "The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has issued a three-line whip to all its Members of Parliament, directing them to be present in the Lok Sabha on April 2, 2025. This directive comes in light of the scheduled introduction of the Waqf Bill, which is expected to be a matter of significant discussion in the House. The party remains committed to ensuring that its stance on this important legislation is effectively represented."

Parliament session live: Ahead of the discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) bill, 2024, the opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday met to discuss their joint strategy as a united face in the Lok Sabha.

In attendance at the meeting were Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, NCP leader Supriya Sule, TMC's Kalyan Banerjee, and AAP's Sanjay Singh.

DMK's T R Baalu, Tiruchi Siva and Kanimozhi, RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha, CPI-M's John Brittas, CPI's Sandosh Kumar P, RSP's N K Premchandran and Vaiko were also present in the meeting.

Parliament session live: The Delhi Police strengthened security arrangements at various sensitive areas across the capital ahead of the discussion on the Waqf (amendment) bill.

A senior police officer, cited by news agency PTI, said, "To maintain law and order at multiple sensitive areas, we have intensified night patrolling and additional deployment will be arranged."

All the deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) have already been directed to keep strict vigil. The DCPs already chalked out a plan to maintain law and order in their areas. "No one will be allowed to breach law and order," said the officer.

Parliament session live: Ahead of the discussion on the Waqf amendment bill, the Congress on Tuesday issued whips to all of its Lok Sabha MPs, ensuring their presence in the House for the next three days.

"Very important issues will be taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, i.e. April 2, 3 and 4, 2025. All members of Congress party in Lok Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11 AM onwards till the adjournment of the House on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday i.e. April 2,3 and 4, 2025, without fail and support the party stand," the whip issued by Congress party's chief whip in Lok Sabha K Suresh was cited by news agency PTI.

Parliament session live: As the Lok Sabha is all set to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) bill, 2024, which is aimed at amending the Waqf Act, 1995, let's understand what the board does.

Waqf is a permanent dedication of movable or immovable properties for religious, pious or charitable purposes as recognised by Muslim Law. And as per the Waqf Act, 1995, Waqf is “the permanent dedication of movable or immovable property for the purposes enshrined in Islam as pious, religious, or charitable."

Read full explainer here

Parliament session live: The Waqf bill will be tabled in the Lok Sabha after the Question House for consideration and passing. Following this, an eight-hour discussion on the bill will be held, subject to an increase as per the sense of the House.

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju had told reporters that the Lok Sabha's business advisory committee (BAC), chaired by Speaker Om Birla, agreed on an eight-hour debate. Rijiju said that while several parties wanted four to six hours of debate, the opposition demanded 12 hours.

Parliament session live: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is all set to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, setting the stage for high-stakes discussion between the BJP-led ruling and the Congress-led opposition side.

Both the BJP and Congress, among other key parties, have issued whips to their MPs to ensure their presence in the House.