New Delhi: Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tabled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, a day after it cleared the Lok Sabha with 288 in its favour and 232 against it. He said we consulted state governments, minority commissions, and waqf boards before introducing this bill in Parliament. A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was formed, comprising representatives from both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. Despite doubts raised about the JPC’s consultations, after extensive discussions, the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a 12-hour marathon debate in Lok Sabha on Wednesday with Opposition calling the bill “illegal” and “discriminatory”. Minister Kiren Rijiju said that as of today, there are 8.72 lakh Waqf properties. In 2006, if the Sachar committee had estimated the earnings from 4.9 lakh Waqf properties at Rs 12,000 crore. You can imagine the income these properties must be generating now,” he said. The minister reiterated that the Waqf board “will only oversee, not manage, Waqf properties.
The minister lashed out at the Opposition parties for “spreading lies” and clarified that all Waqf properties are for Muslims only. “Some political parties are spreading lies due to vote-bank politics, but the Home Minister has made it clear that all Waqf properties are for the people of our Muslim community…” Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated, “The bill includes the Right to Appeal. If a person is not granted their right by the Tribunal, they can file a petition in court under this provision.” He further announced that the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 will be renamed as the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development) Bill.
Kiren Rijiju said that the ministry of minority affairs had prepared the bill after taking in confidence many stakeholders across the country. He said that a total of 284 organisations gave their opinions of the bill, and over one crore people submitted memorandums to submit their opinions regarding the same. “Before the joint parliamentary committee was formed, many said that the consolation regarding it wasn’t enough. I want to say that before the Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced, the ministry of minority affairs came to prepare the bill after taking in confidence the stakeholders, including the minority commission of the state governments,” Rijiju said. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the Ministry of Minority Affairs drafted the Waqf Amendment Bill after consulting numerous stakeholders nationwide. He revealed
