‘Black day for democracy’, ‘politics of division’ by Modi Govt: How Opposition condemned Waqf Bill passed in Parliament

Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge attacked the Prime Minister Narendra-Modi-led Union government on Friday, after the Parliament passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025. Kharge, the leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha, accused the government of taking a “negative stand.”

“It is their interpretation, we kept our views on the bill in front of them (government). They have taken a negative stand and they are taking it forward,” Kharge told reporters after the Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on Thursday midnight, a day after it received a Lok Sabha nod.

In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected. In the Lok Sabha, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.

Opposition leaders in the Parliament said that the Waqf Amendment Bill violated Constitutional principles and questioned the government’s intent in bringing in the legislation.

Politics of division will harm the nation: Sibal

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said that the ‘politics of division will harm the nation.’

“125 to 92 on the amendment and 128 to 95 for the passing of the bill. They are the majority in both Houses. Substantial numbers have opposed the bill. This will have political implications, especially for the political parties that have supported the BJP because there are elections in Bihar coming up… The politics of division will harm the nation,” Sibal said.

RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha said that there is dissatisfaction in the minds of the people. “In this parliament, only the farm laws were passed and the opposition gave a very meaningful contribution…There is still dissatisfaction in the minds of the people and if it is not cleared, the outcome should not be like that of farm laws,” Jha told reporters.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the opposition parties of trying to mislead people on the Waqf Amendment Bill and said it will benefit crores of people from the Muslim community.

Replying to the over 12-hour-long debate on the bill in Rajya Sabha, Rijiju said several suggestions made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee had been incorporated in the revised bill. Lok Sabha, which took up discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, passed it past midnight after a marathon debate.

‘Judiciary may declare it “unconstitutional.”’

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that if the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 is challenged, the judiciary may declare it “unconstitutional.”

“They have misused the majority and the bill has been imposed. If the bill is challenged, there is a big chance that the judiciary will declare it unconstitutional,” Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.

TMC MP Sagarika Ghose said that it is a sad day for the Republic of India that today an openly anti-constitutional bill like the Waqf Amendment Bill has been passed.

“The Bill fundamentally erodes the individual freedom to practise religion…It is a sad day that this unconstitutional bill has been bulldozed in Parliament by the BJP,” Ghose said.

The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), 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.

Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan said that it is “unfortunate” that the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 has been passed. Rajiv Shukla, another Congress MP said that the bill has been passed as the ruling party had the numbers.

“The bill has been passed as the ruling party had the numbers but the opposition also kept its views and there was discussion on the bill,” Shukla said.

“Black day” for democracy

DMK MP M M Abdulla said that it is a “black day” for democracy and for the minorities. “We have shown our solidarity and our strength. The Chief Minister (MK Stalin) has already announced that he will move this to the court,” Abdulla said.

SP MP Ramji Lal Suman said, “The bill has been passed as the government had the numbers…Their intention is not right…”

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 Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024′ has also been passed in the Parliament. The House sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation.

Lok Sabha, which took up discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, passed it past midnight after a marathon debate. The bill now goes for approval of the President to become a law.

CPI-M MP John Brittas said that this is a sad episode in the history of India.

“This is a sad episode in the history of India…Such highhanded measures to create polarisation in the country need to be check-mated…Since it violates the constitutional principles, there are chances for the people to go to the Supreme Court,” Brittas said.

Ploy to improve vote bank: Hussain

Earlier during the debate in Rajya Sabha Congress leader Naseer Hussain accused the BJP-led union government of using the Waqf Bill as a ploy to improve its vote bank after it got reduced to 240 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“The BJP came to power in 2014. At that time, they didn’t say the current law is draconian or aimed to appease a community. Now they have suddenly realised in 2024. But why? Because they gave a call for 400 seats but got only 240 seats. They are unable to understand how to improve vote bank or which issue to pick. Therefore, they brought the waqf bill,” Hussain said.