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

Better late than never: Tharoor

The Lok Sabha Speaker called Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to open discussion on the Resolution despite multiple MPs requesting for the House to be adjourned citing the late hour (2 am).

Tharoor initiated the discussion, saying better late than never.

He pointed out that President's Rule in Manipur is an even more onerous responsibility on the Centre given the fact that the Prime Minister has chosen to not visit the state ever since the unrest began.

The Resolution is constitutionally required and so the Congress and Opposition wouldn't oppose it, he said, but asked the Home Minister to explain what is the way forward for healing and closure to the problems in Manipur.

Sayani Ghosh of the Trinamool Congress said: "Had the government agreed to our repeated demands for discussion on Manipur when the unrest began and for meaningful intervention and corrective measures, the need for this debate would perhaps not have arisen."

"The fact is the double-engine government of Manipur let the state burn for 22 months," he added.

Amendments moved by Opposition defeated

All the amendments moved by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, as per recommendations suggested by the JPC, were passed by the Lok Sabha. All the amendments moved by the Opposition were defeated.

Clause by clause voting on the Bill also concluded in the early hours of Thursday (April 3).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also moved the Statutory Resolution approving the "Proclamation issued by the President on the 13th February, 2025, under Article 356 (1) of the Constitution in relation to the State of Manipur."

PM Modi, Priyanka skip

Prominent absentees during the vote are: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi

Ayes 288. Noes 232

With utter confusion in the House over the voting process and division of votes delayed, heated arguments break out between Congress and BJP MPs.

Division of votes (subject to correction)

Ayes: 288

Noes: 232

Abstain: Nil

'Across the world, minorities are the safest in India', says Kiren Rijiju

Some speakers made political criticism by saying this Bill is an attempt to target Muslims. I want to tell you the difference between you and us. Waqf boards were separate for Shia, Sunni, other sects. We are saying Waqf boards should have representation of all sects. We are trying to be inclusive, we want to unite while you were dividing Muslims.

I can't tell you how many Muslims, including from Kerala, have come to me and expressed support for the Bill. If they had liked your (Opposition's) approach, if you had helped them, why would they come to me today?

Some people nowadays hold the Constitution all the time. It is good to hold the Constitution but you can't do it and then also stand with people who want to divide the country, damage the country. There are photos of you people with those who give slogans of breaking India.

Many of you say minorities are not safe in this country. I am also a minority. The smallest minority today in India is Parsi, just 52,000 people. The Narendra Modi government even thought of Parsis and brought schemes for them, you never thought of them. Today, Parsi are also supporting the Waqf Bill.

You can say anything against our Government but when you say minorities are not safe in this country, it is not right. Across the world, minorities are the safest in India.

Look at all our border countries. When China and Tibet had a problem, all their refugee came to India. When Myanmar had problems, their refugees came to India. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, whenever they have problems, their minorities come to India. We are the safest. You (Opposition) will never be forgiven for abusing this country.

Lot of people talk of secularism now. It is important to say that when India was partitioned, the other country was not secular, but we became secular, and that is only because our majority is secular.

I can also talk about your (Congress’s) old record. Nehru, in 1950s, passed an order saying North East should not become Christian majority, tribals should be allowed to live as per their customs and traditions. Indira Gandhi banned Mother Teresa's entry in North East. This was your past record.

Why non-Muslims can also be members, Rijiju explains

Rijiju adds:

I want to explain once again the difference between Waqf and Waqf board. They (Opposition) say Waqf board is religious. We say Waqf if religious, person making endowment is also Muslim but the Waqf board, even as per several court judgments, is not religious, it is statutory and secular. This is why non-Muslims can be members of Waqf boards.

Kiren Rijiju: Bill not anti-Muslim

What Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says:

Some points raised during the discussion were rational but some were also political and irrational. Those who do not wish to understand, I cannot make them understand. Those who continue to say the Bill is unconstitutional, I have still not been able to understand why they are saying so. Words like unconstitutional should not be used so lightly.

Many MPs said this Bill is anti-Muslim. How can they say this? Such irrational accusations should not be made.

A Raja, Gaurav Gogoi raised the issue of why we have removed the Waqf By User category. We have done this to minimise and expedite Waqf-related litigation. If you have documentation, of course your waqf will stay but if it is oral, it will not.

Some MPs raised issue of why Collector has been given so many powers over Waqf. This is only because Collector is essentially a revenue officer and he is not political. How can you say that Collector should not be given power because we don't trust the Collector. This is no ground for objection. If an officer is doing something wrong, there is a disciplinary mechanism to deal with that.

There were also objections on the Bill giving right to appeal against Tribunal's decision and the application of law of Limitation. We have applied Law of Limitation, which exists in all other laws also, to speed up disposal of cases. In its absence cases will drag on for years.

The Bill is legal and constitutional, says Kiren Rijiju

The Bill is legal and constitutional, says Kiren Rijiju

More from Jagdambika Pal:

This Bill will also be remembered forever because it gave women and Pasmanda Muslims the first-ever representation on the waqf board. It is not this Bill that is unconstitutional; it was the previous Waqf Acts of 1995 and 2013 that were unconstitutional.

Jagdambika Pal adds

Jagdambika Pal says:  

The Opposition has a problem with the Bill giving people right to appeal against order of Waqf tribunals. The 1995 Act had given such overriding powers to the tribunals that judiciary was undermined. Tribunals became the only body in this country whose order could not be challenged in any court. Today this Bill is also historic because whenever people talk of Waqf in the future, they will remember that if there was a government that gave them the right to appeal it was the Narendra Modi government.