Owaisi tears copy of ‘unconstitutional’ Waqf Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, April 3: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asasuddin Owaisi on Wednesday attacked the BJP-led Central government over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and unstapled and tore the copy of the bill as a mark to oppose the amendment.
While participating in the debate over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha, he alleged that Muslims would be treated unfairly through the Waqf Bill.
“This Bill is an attack on Muslims. The Modi government has started a war on my freedom. My mosques, my Dargahs, my Madrasas are on target. This government is not revealing the truth. This Bill violates Article 14- Equal Protection. Limitations will be imposed. By doing so, the encroacher will become the owner, and a non -Muslim will administrate the Waqf Board. This Bill also violates Equality For Law,” Owaisi said.
Owaisi rejected the Waqf Amendment Bill and said that the BJP wants to create conflicts in the name of temples and mosques.
“I am tearing this Bill as this Bill is unconstitutional. In this country, the BJP wants to create conflicts in the name of temples and mosques. That’s why I condemn this,” Owaisi said, tearing up the Bill.
Moving the bill for passing in the House, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that bill will not be applicable retrospectively and the Centre is not seeking more powers.
“When our country has the largest Waqf property in the world, why hasn’t it been used for the education, medical treatment, skill development, and income generation of poor Muslims? Why has no progress been made in this regard so far?” Rijiju said.
Along with the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Rijiju also moved the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha. The bill was earlier presented in the Lok Sabha in August last year and a Joint Parliamentary Committee, headed by BJP member Jagdambika Pal, examined it.
Rahul calls it weapon
to marginalise Muslims
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday opposed the “Waqf (Amendment) Bill and said that it is a “weapon” aimed at marginalising Muslims and usurping their personal laws and property rights. “The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is a weapon aimed at marginalising Muslims and usurping their personal laws and property rights. This attack on the Constitution by the RSS, BJP and their allies is aimed at Muslims today but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.
He further said, “The Congress party strongly opposes this legislation as it attacks the very idea of India and violates Article 25, the Right to Freedom of Religion.”
Meanwhile, BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat attacked Rahul Gandhi and said, “I want to remind that if Shyama Prasad Mookherjee was not there, Rahul Gandhi would be standing in a line to seek a permit to start his Yatra in J&K. Never claim that our leaders were not involved in Independence Movement,”
“I want to remind that if Shyama Prasad Mookherjee was not there, Rahul Gandhi would be standing in a line to seek permit to start his Yatra in J&K. Never claim that our leaders were not involved in Independence Movement,” Sehrawat added.
Earlier, Congress leader KC Venugopal alleged that the Waqf Amendment Bill “is a dangerous, divisive law which runs against the tenets of our Constitution”
Participating in the debate on Waqf (Amendment Bill), 2025 in Lok Sabha, he accused the BJP of resorting to divisive politics.
“I expected so many legislations to come during this period. For last several years, farmers have been on the street, they are demanding legal guarantees for MSP. But the Bill is not coming. Youngsters of this country are unemployed and in despair. So, the country expected legislation for drastic change for the youth of the country. But it didn’t come…You can see the legislation that has been given priority by this government. This is to have only one agenda – to divide Bharat Mata in the name of religion…,” Venugopal said.
Moving the bill for passing in the House, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the bill will not be applicable retrospectively and the Centre is not seeking more powers.
“When our country has the largest Waqf property in the world, why hasn’t it been used for the education, medical treatment, skill development, and income generation of poor Muslims? Why has no progress been made in this regard so far?” Rijiju said.
J&K political parties
oppose Amendment Bill
All political parties of J&K, except the BJP, opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, saying that the Bill is intended to disempower Muslims and only target one religion.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the Bill is not acceptable to his party.
“Only one religion is being targeted. Every religion has its institutions, and every religion has a charitable wing. For Muslims, it is the Waqf,” said the Chief Minister.
Omar Abdullah said that targeting the Waqf is very unfortunate, adding that it is up to Parliament now to stop amendments in the Bill. “NC cannot support this Bill. Our MPs will strongly oppose it,” said the Chief Minister.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also opposed the bill, saying that she has no hope from the BJP given the treatment meted out to Muslims in the country.
“I don’t have any hope from the BJP. We have seen how Muslims are being lynched and mosques demolished in the last 11 years,” she said.
The former Chief Minister added that the Bill is intended to disempower Muslims, adding that she hoped that the Hindu brethren would step forward to stop it.
As per the government, the Bill is aimed at improving the functioning and ensuring transparency and technology-driven management of Waqf properties in the country.
Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha have called the Bill “unconstitutional” and against the “interest” of the Muslim community. (ANI/IANS)