"How can you bulldoze our freedom of religion?": Congress' Imran Masood slams Centre over Waqf Bill

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): Amid strong objections being raised by the opposition over the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill, Congress MP Imran Masood on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the centre of "bulldozing" the freedom of religion of Muslims.
He questioned the government's concern for Pasmanda Muslims while highlighting the shutting down of Madarsas, where he said poor children study.
"To preserve the Right to Equality is the responsibility of the government...how can you bulldoze our freedom of religion? You talk about Pasmanda, poor Muslims...but you are closing the Madarsas. Who studies in the Madarsa? Poor children only," Masood told ANI.
He said that the Congress would approach the apex court to contest the passage of the Waqf amendment bill. He further accused the central government of "crushing" the rights of minorities.
"Right to equality has been granted by the constitution, and the custodian of the constitution is the Supreme Court. We will go to the Supreme Court. Will you take away our right to religious freedom just because you have a majority? Having a majority doesn't mean that you can crush the rights of minorities. Because you don't have the right to change the constitution, you are partially damaging it," Masood said.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal hailed the "big reform" of Parliament passing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, stating that Waqf properties will not be registered in a portal that will be launched by the minority affairs ministry soon. He added that the Waqf board failed to open universities and hospitals on properties which are for poor Muslims. He further said that only a few people have managed to benefit from the same instead of the poor.
"It is a big reform... The properties that are donated to Waqf are for the poor Muslims, widows, and children. However, the Waqf board has failed to open any university, hospital or college in the entire country, and none of the poor have benefitted from it but only a few people in positions. Now, the Waqf properties will be registered. The central government's Minority Ministry will launch a portal," Pal, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, told ANI.
The Parliament passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 in the early hours of Friday after a marathon and heated debate.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "Ayes 128 and Noes 95, Absent zero. The Bill is passed." The House sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the opposition parties of trying to mislead people on the Waqf Amendment Bill and said it would benefit crores of people from the Muslim community.
Replying to the over 12-hour debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju said several suggestions made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee had been incorporated into the revised bill.
Rijiju said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will be renamed as the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development) Bill.
The Lok Sabha, which discussed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, passed it past midnight after a marathon debate.
The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India.
The Bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records. (ANI)