India's Waqf Bill: A threat to Muslim property

New Delhi: In India, the Hindu extremist Modi government has passed the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha to seize trillions of rupees worth of Muslim Waqf properties.

The Indian Lok Sabha has approved the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill, which faced strong opposition from Congress members. This anti-Muslim bill will be presented today in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House), where it requires the support of 119 members out of 236 for approval.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi described the Waqf Amendment Bill as an attack on the Constitution and stated that the Modi government is driving the country into a ditch. Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi tore up a copy of the bill, likening his action to that of Gandhi in protesting the bill, and called it a violation of Articles 25 and 26, as well as an injustice to Muslims.

The controversial amendments in the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 include making a non-Muslim the Chief Executive Officer of the Waqf Board, requiring state governments to include at least two non-Muslim members on their Waqf boards, and giving district collectors the authority to make decisions on disputed properties.

In response, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the bill in the Lok Sabha, saying its purpose is to marginalize Muslims and deprive them of their property rights. He stated that the attack on the Constitution by the BJP and its allies is an attack on Muslims and that the bill could set a precedent for targeting other communities in the future.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader M.K. Stalin condemned the bill and announced plans to challenge it in the Supreme Court. He said that the Waqf Amendment Bill violates the autonomy of Waqf boards and poses a threat to the Muslim minority population.

In addition, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board is holding protests against the bill in Andhra Pradesh.