The Lok Sabha passed the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the wee hours of April 3, after over a 12-hour debate. The ruling NDA members strongly defended the legislation as beneficial for minorities, while the opposition described it as “anti-Muslim” during the debate.
The Bill was passed after all amendments moved by the opposition members were rejected by voice votes. It was passed after a division of votes – 288 in favour and 232 against.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said minorities of India are safe because the majority is entirely secular. The Minister said even a minuscule minority community like the Parsis are safe in India.
“Some members have said that minorities are not safe in India. This statement is completely false. There is no place safer than India for minorities. I am also a minority and we all are living here without any fear and with pride,” he said after the debate on the Bill.
Rijiju tabled the bill on Wednesday afternoon in Lok Sabha.
The minister said whenever a minority community faces persecution, it always comes to India to take refuge and cited the examples of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community, minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
“The coming generation will never forgive you. Minorities in India are safe because the majorities of the country are fully secular. This is not the case in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. But still, you abuse us,” he said.
The Bill will be now taken up in Rajya Sabha for discussion. After passing in Rajya Sabha, the Bill goes for presidential approval to become a law.
Unifying minorities in the country
Rijiju said, through the Bill, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is going to unify all minorities in the country. He also highlighted the “wholehearted” support of the Christian community for the Bill.
He said a large number of disputes are pending with the Waqf tribunals and through the legislation, the government wants to expedite these cases.
“We want to expedite the resolution of the disputes in the tribunals. Justice delayed is justice denied. Widows, divorcees, and orphans will be given justice through the Bill,” he said.
