In what could be termed as a long drawn battle, the Lok Sabha in the late hours between Wednesday and Thursday, passed the Waqf Amendment Bill amid a cacophony of elected leaders from the entire country. As the voting ended, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said 288 MPs were in favour and 232 against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
#BigBreaking | Waqf Amendment Bill PASSED in Lok Sabha!
-YES: 288
-NO: 232
— Amendment to EXCLUDE Non-Muslims from Waqf Board REJECTED! Govt defends changes, opposition calls it a land grab#WaqfAmendmentBill #LokSabha #BreakingNews #WaqfBoard #WaqfAct pic.twitter.com/Ncx9416uvd— Ritam English (@english_ritam) April 2, 2025
In the previous hours of the debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the distinction between administration and religious activities, asserting that the Waqf Act and Board, established in 1995, do not allow non-Muslims to interfere in waqf matters. “There is no provision for appointing a non-Muslim to manage religious institutions, nor do we intend to introduce such a provision. Misleading claims suggesting otherwise are baseless,” he stated.
Replying to the concerns of the Opposition, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said: “You keep carrying a copy of the Constitution and holding the Tricolour, which is a good thing. But at the same time, you demand freedom—this contradiction goes against the spirit of the Constitution.”
Addressing concerns over minority safety in India, he emphasized that the country has six recognized minority communities, including the Parsi community, which has received dedicated government support. “You never thought about them. Prime Minister Modi introduced a scheme to ensure they do not diminish further,” Rijiju pointed out. The leader further asserted that minorities in India are safer than in many other nations, countering claims of insecurity.
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