SRINAGAR: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill after fierce discussion for over 12 hours with the govt countering the opposition’s charges of encroachment on constitutional and Muslim rights and attacks on federalism with a strong defence of the changes in the Act governing Islamic endowments.
The debate saw the ruling NDA defending the legislation as beneficial for minorities, while the opposition criticised it as “anti-Muslim.” All amendments proposed by opposition members were rejected by voice vote before the bill was passed.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, responding to the debate, asserted that India remains the safest place for minorities, attributing this to the secular nature of the majority population.
The bill will now move to the Rajya Sabha, where another lengthy debate is expected.
The revised bill incorporates recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which reviewed the legislation introduced in August last year. Additionally, the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, was also passed in the Lok Sabha after the extended debate.
In Jammu and Kashmir, strong opposition has emerged against the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, even as the Lok Sabha engaged in a heated debate over the changes. Political leaders and community representatives in the region have criticised the government’s silence on local concerns, arguing that the amendments could have significant consequences for Waqf properties within and outside Jammu and Kashmir.
