New Delhi: The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 came into force last week, but the protests are continuing.
While some Opposition parties and individuals have approached the Supreme Court, West Bengal has been witnessing violent clashes over protests against the new law, leading to the deployment of central forces.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday threw light on what necessitated the Waqf reform.
The Parliament the Waqf bill on April 4, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the proposed law on April 5, and the Central government notified the law on April 8.
Addressing a rally at Haryana’s Hisar, Modi said letters from hundreds of Muslim widows led the Centre to take up the task of reforming the management of waqf properties.
He claimed that if waqf assets been managed well, Muslim youths “would not have been fixing punctures of bicycle tyres” to eke out a living.
“It was only after hundreds of widowed Muslim women wrote to the Government of India that the issue was even discussed, and eventually, the law was changed… Now, the exploitation of the poor is finally going to stop. Had that money been used honestly from the beginning, my young Muslim youth wouldn’t have had to spend their lives repairing bicycle punctures,” Modi stated.
Modi revealed that complaints of land being claimed as waqf property came not only from non-Muslims but also from poor Muslims.
“According to the new Waqf law, land or property owned by any Adivasi cannot be appropriated by the Waqf Board. Poor and Pasmanda Muslims will benefit,” the PM added.
Modi marked Ambedkar Jayanti on Monday by laying the foundation of Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Hisar, and inaugurating the first flight to Ayodhya.
Modi attacked Congress, calling its leaders “vote bank hungry politicians,” and asked why the party had never appointed a Muslim as its chief.
“If you truly have even a little sympathy for Muslims in your heart, then why doesn’t the Congress party make a Muslim the party president? Why don’t they do it?” Modi posed.
