India’s opposition parties have launched a fierce counteroffensive against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, branding it an unconstitutional overreach that threatens the country’s Muslim minority. Passed by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of April 4, 2025, the legislation overhauls the 1995 Waqf Act, which governs properties donated by Muslims for religious or charitable purposes. The bill’s passage has ignited a firestorm of debate, with critics accusing the government of undermining religious autonomy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the bill as a “landmark step toward transparency,” arguing it would modernize the management of waqf assets. The amendments introduce non-Muslim representation on waqf boards and grant the government broader authority to audit property ownership—a move Home Minister Amit Shah said would curb corruption and ensure funds benefit marginalized communities. “This is about accountability, not control,” Shah insisted during a heated parliamentary session.
Opposition leaders, however, see a darker motive. Congress stalwart Sonia Gandhi called the bill “a calculated attack on India’s secular fabric,” vowing a Supreme Court challenge. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin echoed her sentiments, with his state assembly rejecting the amendments outright. “This is a blatant power grab by the BJP to dictate terms to minorities,” Stalin declared, referencing Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Muslim organizations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, have decried the bill as a violation of Islamic principles, warning it could enable state interference in sacred sites like mosques and shrines. On X, MP Mahua Moitra lamented, “This bill is a message to Muslims: you’re second-class citizens here.”
With India’s 200 million Muslims already grappling with economic hardship, fears are mounting that the legislation reflects a broader Hindu nationalist agenda. As legal battles loom, the Waqf Bill 2024 has exposed deep fault lines in India’s fragile religious landscape.
