LIVE | Rajya Sabha passes Waqf Bill (128-95)

Waqf JPC was historic, says Jagdambika Pal

BJP MP and chairman of Waqf JPC Jagdambika Pal:

''If the government was not in favour of consultations on this Bill, it would not have recommended the Bill to a JPC as it could have got it passed in Parliament straight away because it had the numbers back then too.

The Opposition is saying today that it did not get a chance to speak in the JPC or that JPC did not have proper consultations. I want to tell them, the Waqf JPC was historic. It had 38 sittings in 5 months while even Parliamentary standing committees meet only 5 or 6 times a month. The amount of time the Opposition MPs were given to speak in JPC meetings, they would never get in a standing or select committee. This JPC is also historic because every recommendations we made for amendments was incorporated by the government.''

Bid to humiliate Muslims: Owaisi

Owaisi adds: The only intention is to humiliate Muslims and make them second-class citizens.  

Owaisi's poser to Amit Shah

Owaisi adds:

''I was amazed when the Home Minister blamed the 2013 Amendments to the Waqf Act for the problems with Waqf tribunals today. He said this Act would not have been necessary if the 2013 Act was not passed (by UPA govt). I want to just ask the Home Minister. In 2013, you had leaders like Advani, Sushma Swaraj in Lok Sabha. If the 2013 Act was so bad, why did Advani and Sushma Swaraj support it and help in getting the Act passed unanimously? Were they right or wrong, the Home Minister must explain.''

Owaisi: 'It's a war on Muslims'

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi: This Bill is a call for war against Muslims; their property, their mosques, their graveyards. If you see the Constitution, it allows Hindus, Sikhs, Christians to make endowments the way they want but this Bill makes an exception only for Muslims, putting restrictions on who can create Waqf and how. This law is against every tenet of natural justice, it is against the Constitution, it is against fundamental rights.

Engineer Rashid opposes bill, but takes a dig at Waqf Board

What Independent MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh 'Engineer Rashid' says

I am against this Bill but I also want to say that Muslims of the country have to introspect what they have done with Waqf in all these years, have they used Waqf properties for building schools, hospitals, universities and so much more could have been done for welfare of Muslims but what have you done in all these years to utilise Waqf for the community?

BJP's double standards, says SP MP

SP MP Zia ur Rehman: Talk of Muslim welfare doesn't sound good coming from the BJP. The BJP has a problem with mosques, it has a problem with Ramzan and Eid, it has a problem with Azaan but now it wants to show it has our welfare at heart? What kind of double standards are these?

Clearly targeting Muslims: Kerala MP Premchandran

What RSP MP from Kerala NK Premchandran says:

This law will not stand legal scrutiny when it is challenged in a court of law because it is unconstitutional, violative of several Articles under the Constitution, including fundamental rights. I want the Home Minister and Minority Affairs Minister to explain that if non-Muslims will be allowed on Waqf Boards then what do they plan to do with Devaswom Boards? Will they allow non-Hindus on those Boards next? If not, then this Bill exposes that all they want to do is target one community, Muslims.

Section of Muslims celebrate in Madhya Pradesh

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill sparked mixed reactions in Bhopal, with sections of the Muslim community welcoming it and thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while others, including Congress MLA Arif Masood, opposing the bill.

A group of Muslim men and women gathered at Rahmat Masjid in the Hathaikheda area to celebrate the bill's introduction in Parliament. Holding placards with messages such as “We Support Waqf Bill” and “Shukriya Modi Ji”, they danced to the beats of drums.

Rahmat Masjid Committee President Mohsin-Ul-Haq told PTI that the bill was a positive step for the welfare of underprivileged Muslims.

“We held a programme in support of the Waqf bill. We support the bill as it ensures Waqf land will be used for the benefit of the poor,” he said.

Mohammed Shadab, a participant in the celebrations, echoed similar sentiments.

“Some individuals have treated Waqf properties as their assets. The poor and common Muslims have been deprived of their benefits. This bill ensures that the land serves the needy,” he said while thanking PM Modi.

However, Congress MLA Arif Masood dismissed the bill, calling it a “black law.” Speaking to reporters, Masood said, “We have already rejected this bill. It will not protect Waqf assets but instead lead to their encroachment.” He further criticised the celebrations, comparing them to past support for the triple talaq bill.

“Those who celebrated earlier have now disappeared,” he said, adding that he would align with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s stance.

Kerala MP Hibi says bid to divide Hindus and Muslims

Congress MP Hibi Eden asks Minority Affairs minister to give a straight answer when he replies to the debate on how the Waqf Bill will resolve the Munambam issue when Rijiju and Amit Shah are both on record telling the House that the Waqf Bill will not apply retrospectively.

"All of a sudden now you are talking about Munambam. You are talking about support to Waqf Bill from Christians. All you want to do is to divide he Muslims and Christians of Kerala and this country," Eden says.

Badal says the BJP is talking about Waqf encroaching on land belonging to other communities, but will it give answers on number of Gurudwaras that have been demolished by Hindus. The Akali MP says not a single member from the Opposition, including those who were on the Waqf JPC, have supported anything in this Bill nor will they vote for the Bill.