BJP to approach Muslim community to apprise them on merit of Waqf Amendment Act

New Delhi [India], April 10 (ANI): Amid strong opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to approach the Muslim community across the country to apprise them about the merits of the newly amended Waqf Amendment Act.
A workshop will be organised today at the BJP Headquarters in Delhi, where Union Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda will address the gathering.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and leaders from across the country will also attend the workshop.
This comes as several opposition leaders, including All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan, Congress MP Mohammed Jawed, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Muhammad Izhar Asfi and others, knock on the doors of the apex court challenging the recently passed amendments to the Waqf Act.
Earlier, Samajwadi Party (SP) Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, Zia Ur Rehman Barq, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act of 2025.
Represented by Advocate Suleman Khan, the SP leader argues the amendments violate fundamental rights, particularly the removal of "Waqf by user," induction of non-Muslim members into Waqf councils, and a five-year embargo for Muslims. The petition seeks a review of these provisions, which Barq claims unjustly interfere with the religious affairs of the Muslim community.
On Wednesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the central government over the Waqf Amendment Act, saying it is an "attack on freedom of religion and Constitution".
Addressing the All India Congress Committee session in Ahmedabad, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Modi government "staged the drama" of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament to divert people's attention from the issue of tariffs imposed by the United States.
"BJP passed the Waqf Bill, this bill is an attack on freedom of religion, an attack on the Constitution. I had said that the Waqf Bill attacks Muslims now but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future. It didn't take long for the RSS to turn its attention to Christians," Rahul Gandhi said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, came into force on April 8 (Tuesday). After a 12-hour discussion, the Upper House cleared the bill with 128 members voting in favour, whereas 95 members voted against the legislation. The act aims to modify the Waqf Act, 1995 and the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2013.
The 1995 act and the 2013 amendment laid out rules to govern the Waqf properties in India; created special courts (called Waqf Tribunals) with powers similar to civil courts (Tribunal decisions cannot be challenged in civil courts); and prohibited the sale of Waqf properties. (ANI)