The Rajya Sabha witnessed a charged debate on Thursday as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, came under scrutiny, with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) firmly opposing the contentious legislation.
The session, chaired by Shri Ghanshyam Tiwari, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Rajasthan, saw BJD MP Muzibulla Khan from Odisha articulating his party’s stance against the bill, which had already passed the Lok Sabha on April 2, 2025, after intense discussions.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024, seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, by revising the composition of the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards to include non-Muslim members, potentially allowing them to form a majority. It also imposes new criteria for creating waqf properties, mandating that only individuals who have practiced Islam for at least five years can establish a waqf—a reversal of a 2013 amendment. Additionally, the bill, now proposed to be renamed the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development) Bill, grants state governments greater authority in determining the status of waqf land, a move critics argue could lead to undue interference.
Muzibulla Khan, speaking on behalf of the BJD, echoed the party’s long-standing opposition to the bill, a position articulated earlier by BJD President and Odisha Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik in September 2024. Patnaik had emphasized the importance of peace and harmony for development, stating, “Odisha is famous for harmony and brotherhood,” and pledged to protect the interests of minorities. Khan highlighted the BJD’s dissatisfaction with the bill, noting that suggestions made by the party during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) review were ignored. “The bill gives sweeping powers to the state government, which could lead to misuse and interference in waqf matters,” Khan argued during the session, as captured in a live broadcast by Argus News.
The debate in the Rajya Sabha saw sharp exchanges between the ruling BJP and opposition parties. Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain accused the BJP of using the bill to polarize voters, pointing to the party’s failure to secure a majority in the 2024 general elections. “The BJP lost the 2024 elections and is now resorting to communal polarization to increase its vote bank,” Hussain charged. In response, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, while tabling the bill, defended its intent, stating that the amendments aim to enhance transparency and efficiency in waqf management.
The BJD’s opposition marks a shift in its political stance following its defeat in the 2024 general elections, after which the party decided to play a more assertive role as an opposition in the Rajya Sabha. With seven members in the upper house, the BJD’s resistance adds to the challenges faced by the BJP in passing the bill, which has already drawn criticism for provisions like the removal of Muslim law experts from Waqf Tribunals and the lack of clarity on the five-year Islam practice criterion.
As the debate continues, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill remains a polarizing issue, with opposition parties rallying against what they see as an attempt to undermine minority rights, while the BJP insists the legislation is a step toward better governance of waqf properties. The outcome of the Rajya Sabha discussions will be crucial in determining the fate of this controversial bill.
Muzibulla Khan, speaking on behalf of the BJD, echoed the party’s long-standing opposition to the bill, a position articulated earlier by BJD President and Odisha Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik in September 2024. Patnaik had emphasized the importance of peace and harmony for development, stating, “Odisha is famous for harmony and brotherhood,” and pledged to protect the interests of minorities. Khan highlighted the BJD’s dissatisfaction with the bill, noting that suggestions made by the party during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) review were ignored. “The bill gives sweeping powers to the state government, which could lead to misuse and interference in waqf matters,” Khan argued during the session, as captured in a live broadcast by Argus News.
The debate in the Rajya Sabha saw sharp exchanges between the ruling BJP and opposition parties. Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain accused the BJP of using the bill to polarize voters, pointing to the party’s failure to secure a majority in the 2024 general elections. “The BJP lost the 2024 elections and is now resorting to communal polarization to increase its vote bank,” Hussain charged. In response, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, while tabling the bill, defended its intent, stating that the amendments aim to enhance transparency and efficiency in waqf management.
The BJD’s opposition marks a shift in its political stance following its defeat in the 2024 general elections, after which the party decided to play a more assertive role as an opposition in the Rajya Sabha. With seven members in the upper house, the BJD’s resistance adds to the challenges faced by the BJP in passing the bill, which has already drawn criticism for provisions like the removal of Muslim law experts from Waqf Tribunals and the lack of clarity on the five-year Islam practice criterion.
As the debate continues, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill remains a polarizing issue, with opposition parties rallying against what they see as an attempt to undermine minority rights, while the BJP insists the legislation is a step toward better governance of waqf properties. The outcome of the Rajya Sabha discussions will be crucial in determining the fate of this controversial bill.
