Waqf Bill passed in Lok Sabha: Sonia Gandhi warns of ‘permanent polarisation, Constitution's end'

Waqf bill is brazen assault on Constitution, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said on Thursday, adding that it is part of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) strategy to keep society in state of "permanent polarisation".

Sonia Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is dragging country into an abyss where Constitution will remain on paper. She added their “intention is to demolish” the Constitution. Follow Parliament LIVE updates

The Waqf Amendment Bill, which Sonia Gandhi said has been 'bulldozed' through in Lok Sabha, is a piece of legislation aimed at reforming the management and administration of Waqf properties, which are charitable assets donated for religious or social purposes under Islamic law.

The bill seeks to address issues related to the efficiency, accountability, and transparency of Waqf boards and their functioning.

Also Read | What is Waqf: Explained in 4 simple points

The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 in the early hours of Thursday after a marathon and heated debate during which members of opposition bloc ‘INDIA’ fiercely opposed the legislation while BJP and its allies in denied claims of it being ‘anti-Muslim’, saying it will bring transparency and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards.

Sonia Gandhi, at a Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meet on Thursday asked the party MPs to “expose Modi government's intention to turn India into surveillance state”.

Further, Sonia Gandhi also said that the ‘One Nation, One Election Bill’ is “another subversion of Constitution”, adding that the party strongly opposes this legislation.

Waqf Bill passes Lok Sabha hurdle

The Lok Sabha passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with the ruling NDA strongly defending it, calling it beneficial for minorities, while the opposition condemned it as "anti-Muslim."

The bill was passed after the rejection of all amendments proposed by opposition members through voice votes, with a final division of votes showing 288 in favor and 232 against.

In his response to the debate, Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, said that India remains the safest place for minorities, emphasizing that the country's secular majority ensures their protection. "Some members have said that minorities are not safe in India. This statement is completely false. There is no place safer than India for minorities. I am also a minority, and we all are living here without any fear and with pride," he asserted.

Rijiju further said that whenever a minority community faces persecution, it seeks refuge in India, citing the examples of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community, as well as minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.