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The National President of BJP's Minority Morcha, Jamal Siddiqui, on Wednesday hailed the Waqf Amendment Act as a significant step, emphasizing that the legislation was in line with Allah's will and would bring substantial benefits to the Muslim community.
Speaking to ANI, Siddiqui claimed that the ongoing protests were led by those who had previously controlled Waqf properties while assuring that the law would ultimately serve the welfare of Muslims across the country. "The Waqf case was about Allah's property, and Allah got this work done through Prime Minister Narendra Modi... People across the country are very happy with this... We are giving all the correct information to people through the morcha. Those who are protesting are the same people who have kept their hold on the Waqf properties. Our Muslim brothers and sisters know that they will benefit from the new law," the BJP's Minority Morcha Chief said. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has witnessed uproar for three consecutive days over the demand for a discussion of the Waqf Amendment Act. J-K Congress MLA Irfan Hafeez termed the Waqf Amendment Act a state interference in the religious affairs of the Muslim community. He added that the demand for a discussion on the act in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was justified. Hafeez accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of destroying the secularist identity of India. The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, came into force on April 8 (Tuesday). After a 12-hour discussion, the Upper House cleared the bill with 128 members voting in favour, whereas 95 members voted against the legislation. The act aims to modify the Waqf Act, 1995 and the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2013. The 1995 act and the 2013 amendment laid out rules to govern the Waqf properties in India; created special courts (called Waqf Tribunals) with powers similar to civil courts (Tribunal decisions cannot be challenged in civil courts); and prohibited the sale of Waqf properties. The 2025 amendment establishes a selection process and fixed tenure for the Waqf Tribunal members. It asserts the inclusion of two non-Muslim members in both central and state Waqf boards. The mandatory annual contribution from Waqf institutions to Waqf Boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, "allowing more funds to be allocated for charitable purposes." The opposition is hitting out at the implementation of the act, and several petitions filed in the Supreme Court have challenged the same. (ANI)
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