Lok Sabha Clears Waqf Amendment Bill 288-232 After Midnight Marathon Debate

Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, with a 288-232 vote past midnight on Wednesday, concluding a 12-hour debate marked by fierce exchanges between the ruling NDA and opposition. The bill, aimed at reforming waqf property management, now heads to the Rajya Sabha following a dramatic session that saw AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tear a copy in protest.

The bill, introduced by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday morning, stretched beyond its scheduled eight-hour discussion due to intense arguments. Both the BJP and Congress issued whips to ensure MP attendance, reflecting the high stakes. The final tally—288 in favor and 232 against—secured a comfortable win for the NDA.

Leading the opposition’s charge, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the bill an “attack on Muslim faith and religious practices.” In a symbolic gesture, he tore a copy of the legislation during the debate, likening his act to Mahatma Gandhi’s defiance of unjust laws, drawing sharp attention to the opposition’s stance.

Responding to critics, Kiren Rijiju dismissed claims of the bill being “anti-Muslim” or unconstitutional. “If it was unconstitutional, why didn’t the courts strike it down? Crores of poor Muslims will thank PM Modi once this bill is passed,” he said, asserting that the amendments aim to benefit the community by improving waqf governance.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah bolstered the government’s case, revealing that waqf board land has more than doubled in the past 12 years. “From 1913 to 2013, it was 18 lakh acres. Post-2013, 21 lakh acres were added, totaling 39 lakh acres. Yet they claim no misuse,” he said, referencing the 2013 UPA amendments.

Opposition leaders, including Owaisi, accused the government of undermining constitutional values. They argued that provisions like non-Muslim inclusion in waqf boards and centralized control over properties threaten Muslim autonomy. Rijiju countered, urging restraint in labeling the bill unconstitutional without judicial backing.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill seeks to modernize the 1995 Waqf Act by digitizing records, mandating registration, and resolving disputes through state officials. Waqf properties, donated under Islamic law for charitable purposes, are owned by Allah, with proceeds supporting community welfare, and their sale is prohibited.

Rijiju thanked MPs for their inputs, rejecting opposition narratives as politically motivated. “Some members aren’t ready to accept the truth. We shouldn’t use ‘constitutional’ and ‘unconstitutional’ lightly,” he said, defending the bill’s alignment with legal and community interests.