New Delhi, April 3 (H.S.) :The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill related to the management of properties donated by Muslims after a lengthy discussion that continued late into Wednesday night. A total of 288 votes were cast in favour of the bill and 232 against it. During the voting on the opposition's demand for amendments, all amendments proposed by opposition leaders were rejected.

Responding to the discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that the highest number of minorities in the world are secure in India. He mentioned that the primary reason for the safety of minorities in India is the secular attitude of the majority.

During a response to nearly 12 hours of discussion on the bill at midnight, Kiren Rijiju said that after the amendment bill becomes an act, poor and backward Muslims will benefit, and they will remember this historic day and pray for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He stated that instead of discussing ways to improve the bill, the opposition kept questioning the role of the collector. We should trust a government officer, he added.

The central minister explained that under the current provisions of the bill, Waqf properties could be declared solely on an oral basis, but our government has now made it necessary to have documentation for this purpose. Rijiju also pointed out that currently, a very small percentage of existing Waqf properties is utilized for charitable purposes.

Criticizing the stance of the opposition parties on the amendment bill, Kiren Rijiju stated, They are not ready to accept the truth. He noted that while the opposition is labeling the Waqf Bill as unconstitutional, they are unable to provide reasons for why it is unconstitutional. Therefore, I have given up hope that they will understand.

Earlier, on Wednesday morning, Central Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju began the discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill by saying that the bill pertains only to the management of Waqf-related properties and has nothing to do with religious matters. He accused the opposition of viewing Muslims as their vote bank and trying to mislead them. He asserted that this bill is not only in the interest of Muslims but also in the interest of the country, and the opposition will also experience change upon its passage.

The 'Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025' has been introduced to remove the inactive old statute from the records, along with the 'Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2025.' The new bill has been named in English as the Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficient and Development Bill (UMMEED Bill).

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar