The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, cleared its final hurdle in Parliament today, April 4, 2025, igniting a wave of protests and legal pushback across the country. Passed by the Rajya Sabha early this morning with 128 votes to 95—after the Lok Sabha approved it yesterday with 288 to 232—the bill now awaits President Droupadi Murmu’s signature to become law. But as celebrations erupted among some, others hit the streets and courts, calling it a blow to Muslim rights and the Constitution.
The Waqf Bill and Its Provisions
The bill, introduced by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on April 2 in the Lok Sabha, aims to overhaul the Waqf Act of 1995, which governs properties donated by Muslims for religious or charitable use. Renamed the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Act, it promises better management, transparency, and tech-driven oversight of Waqf assets—think mosques, schools, and vast tracts of land. The government says it’s a win for poor Muslims, with rules like ensuring women’s inheritance rights and adding diverse voices to Waqf boards. “This isn’t against anyone—it’s for the community,” Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha, pushing back on claims it meddles in religious affairs.
The Protests
But not everyone’s buying it. As soon as the Rajya Sabha vote wrapped up around 2 a.m., protests flared up. In Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Chennai, crowds spilled onto the streets after Friday prayers, waving black flags and shouting against what they call a “black law.” In Ahmedabad, Muslim groups blocked roads, while Kolkata saw a tense standoff with police near Park Circus. “This bill steals our rights!” one protester yelled, echoing a sentiment rippling nationwide. Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who wore a black badge to the state assembly yesterday, slammed the late-night passage as an “attack on the Constitution” and vowed to sue in the Supreme Court.
Legal Challenges and Opposition
The legal fight’s already rolling. By afternoon, Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi filed separate petitions in the Supreme Court, arguing the bill trashes constitutional protections like equality (Article 14) and religious freedom (Article 25). Owaisi, who tore up a copy in Parliament, called it a “brazen violation” of Muslim autonomy, pointing to rules letting non-Muslims join Waqf boards and shifting property disputes to government officials instead of Waqf tribunals. “If Muslims don’t want this, why force it?” he asked reporters. Jawed, a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) member who reviewed the bill, claims it’s a deliberate move to control Waqf land—some 940,000 acres worth over ₹1.2 trillion.
The Opposition’s Stance
The opposition’s been loud from the start. During the 12-hour debates in both houses, INDIA bloc leaders like Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge and TMC’s Saugata Roy blasted it as divisive and rushed—passed at odd hours despite their pleas to pull it back. Sonia Gandhi called it a “BJP strategy to polarize society.” Five Janata Dal (United) leaders even quit their party after it backed the bill, with one, Raju Nayyar, writing, “This black law oppresses Muslims—I’m out.”
The NDA’s Support
On the flip side, the ruling NDA’s cheering. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed it as a “watershed moment” on X, saying it fixes decades of murky Waqf management. BJP allies like JD(U) and TDP stood firm, helping tip the scales—though JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha admitted some Muslims feel let down. Home Minister Amit Shah brushed off fears, insisting non-Muslims on boards are just for admin, not faith matters.
Changes and Controversies
The bill’s changes are big: it scraps “Waqf by user” (where long use made a property Waqf), demands five years of Muslim practice to donate, and sets up a digital portal for tracking assets. Supporters say it’ll stop corruption and land grabs—58,889 Waqf properties are encroached, per government stats. Critics, though, fear it opens the door to government overreach, especially with state officials now deciding disputes.
For now, the streets are restless, and the courts are next. With over a crore objections already lodged against the bill, as Owaisi noted, this fight’s far from over. Whether it’s a step toward fairness or a spark for bigger tensions, India’s watching—and arguing—every step of the way.