Waqf Bill Tabled: India’s Long-Neglected Reform Sparks Panic in the Political Class
WAQF Bill Finally Reaches the Floor
The long-anticipated Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 has been tabled in the Lok Sabha, setting the stage for a stormy debate. Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju called it “a historic day,” asserting that the bill would serve not just Muslims, but the country at large. The government has issued a whip to ensure full attendance, aware that the bill’s fate may rest on numbers alone.
What’s at stake isn’t just legislation—it’s a system long shielded from scrutiny.
The bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995, aiming to improve transparency, streamline registration, and incorporate technology to prevent encroachments and misuse of Waqf properties. While its scope is technical on the surface, its implications reach far deeper, touching raw political and social nerves.
Why the Pushback Is So Intense
The opposition, led by the INDI Alliance, has attacked the bill as unconstitutional and a violation of minority rights. Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi staged a black-clad protest outside Parliament, while Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi claimed that the bill was pushed through without proper clause-by-clause scrutiny.
But beyond slogans, there is little substance in their objections.
Waqf Boards have long operated with minimal oversight, often accused of corruption, mismanagement, and even illegal land grabbing. In multiple states, including Karnataka, vast swathes of land worth billions were found either missing from records or leased in shady deals. Yet, despite public outcry, the system remained untouched—until now.
The Land Grab Nobody Wants to Talk About
Perhaps the most shocking example of unchecked Waqf power was in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchendurai village, where the board claimed ownership of the entire village, including a 1,500-year-old Hindu temple that predates Islam itself. The audacity of the claim—and the silence that followed—exposed a deeply flawed legal structure that allowed such assertions without consequence.
Where was the opposition’s concern for constitutional values then?
This isn’t about religion—it’s about power without accountability. For too long, the Waqf system has allowed an unelected body to make expansive claims with legal authority, often against the poorest or least connected citizens.
Support From Within the Community for Waqf Bill
Contrary to the opposition’s narrative, not all criticism has come from one side. In fact, respected voices within the Muslim community have stood in support of the bill.
Syed Naseruddin Chishty, head of the Ajmer Dargah and Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanshin Council, defended the reform, stating clearly that the bill aims to “protect Waqf assets from misuse” and serve the real beneficiaries—especially poor and Pasmanda Muslims. His support drew sharp attacks from Congress, who branded him a “BJP agent,” a slur that reveals more about their politics than his.
A Step Forward, Even If Imperfect
Not all supporters are fully satisfied. Some voices from the right have argued that the bill, while a start, doesn’t go far enough. They call for a complete overhaul—one that not only digitizes records but also ensures punitive action against corrupt board members and officials who have enabled decades of misuse.
Still, acknowledging the rot is the first step toward cleaning it. This bill may not fix everything, but it forces the system into the light.
But make no mistake—this is the first meaningful step in decades. And the panic it has triggered tells us how deeply entrenched interests are being disturbed.
Reform That Finally Challenges the Unaccountable
The outrage surrounding the Waqf Amendment Bill isn’t about religion. It’s about power. For too long, the Waqf system has operated in legal shadows—managing billions in land and assets with no accountability to the public or even to the poor it claims to serve. The Waqf Amendment Bill isn’t proof of its flaws—it’s proof of its potential. A law that challenges entrenched systems of privilege, masked in the name of community rights, was always going to face resistance.
The bill isn’t perfect. But it’s necessary.
The bill strikes at a deep and often ignored power structure—one that has operated beyond public accountability for decades. Whether it passes unchanged or evolves through debate, it has already succeeded in exposing what many refused to see.
And for the first time, it puts the Waqf Boards on notice. Their days of operating without question may finally be numbered. That alone makes this a battle worth fighting—and a reform worth defending.