Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution opposing the Union Government’s Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024. Chief Minister MK Stalin introduced the resolution, expressing concerns that the bill would have a detrimental impact on Muslims.
Stalin stated that the proposed amendments to the Waqf Bill would reduce the powers of the Waqf Board, which he said would hurt Muslim sentiments. “The Union Government is attempting to amend the Waqf Bill, which will restrict the Waqf Board’s authority, causing harm to the Muslim community. Unfortunately, the Union Government seems unconcerned about this,” Stalin said.
The resolution also emphasized that India has a long history of religious harmony, with the Constitution guaranteeing the right for individuals to practice their religion. The Assembly reiterated that elected governments are responsible for protecting these rights. It urged the Union Government to withdraw the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, and retain the original Waqf Act of 1995, stating that the proposed changes would adversely affect minority Muslims.
Opposition Criticizes the Resolution
BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan criticized the resolution, asserting that the central government had the authority to introduce amendments. “Any elected government has the right to propose amendments. The central government is within its rights, and we oppose this resolution,” she said, before walking out of the Assembly.
AIADMK National Spokesperson Kovai Sathyan also expressed concerns, accusing the DMK of using religion and language to create a narrative. He questioned why parties with members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) weren’t challenging the Waqf Amendment Bill in court. “The rush to pass this resolution in the Assembly seems aimed at instigating people and playing vote bank politics,” Sathyan added.
Details of the Waqf Amendment Bill
Introduced by the BJP-led government in the Lok Sabha in August 2024, the Waqf Amendment Bill seeks to revise the structure of the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards by allowing non-Muslim members. Key provisions of the bill include replacing the Survey Commissioner with the Collector, who would be granted the authority to survey Waqf properties. The bill also proposes that government property identified as Waqf will no longer be considered Waqf, and provides for direct appeals to High Courts rather than leaving the decisions to tribunals.
The bill was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), and its report was adopted by Parliament in February 2025.
