New Delhi [India], April 3 : Slamming the opposition parties for terming Waqf Amendment Bill as "unconstitutional", Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said the law relating to Waqf property has been in existence for decades and has not been struck down by courts and such words should not be used lightly.
Replying to a marathon debate on Lok Sabha that lasted almost 12 hours, Rijiju said that after the bill is passed, the poor in the Muslim community will thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Hose sat beyond midnight to pass the bill.
"Crores of poor Muslims will thank PM Modi on the bill being passed," he said.
Rijiju rejected criticism by opposition members that the Bill was "anti-Muslim" and said some members were just not prepared to accept the truth despite Home Minister Amit Shah nicely elucidating on all issues.
"They are just not prepared to accept the truth," he said.
"I want to thank all the leaders for keeping their views regarding the Bill... Some leaders are saying that the bill is unconstitutional, and I want to ask them how they could say that the bill is unconstitutional. If it was unconstitutional, why didn't the court strike it down?... words like unconstitutional should not be used...the Bill is not against the Constitution, as the opposition claimed...We should not use the words 'constitutional' and 'unconstitutional' so lightly," he said.
Rijiju also slammed AIMIM chief Asasuddin Owaisi who tore a copy of the bill during his speech.
"AIMIM Chief Asasuddin Owaisi raised various issues and made an allegation that for the Muslims, provision is being made for the children of Muslims in the Waqf. Why is no provision being made for the Hindus? I want to tell him that there is already a provision for the Hindus. There is no need to make another law on it," he said.
Earlier, in his speech, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the opposition is trying to build its vote bank by scaring the minority community.
He said the government does not want to interfere in the religious activities of Muslim brothers and the trusts associated with their donations.
He said Mutawali, Waqif, Waqf will all be Muslims, but it will definitely have to be seen whether the property of Waqf is being maintained properly or not.
"No non-Islamic member will get a place in the Waqf Board's work related to religious donations. Work of non-Muslim members, appointed in the Waqf Board or its premises, will not be related to religious activities. A person of any religion can become the Charity Commissioner, he will ensure that the board is run according to charity law, this is the administrative work, not religious," the Home Minister said.
"The work of Waqf Board should be to catch and throw out those who sell Waqf properties. The opposition wants the collusion that was going on in their rule to continue, but this will not happen now," he added.
Amit Shah said had the Waqf law not been amended in 2013, there would have been no need to bring this bill.
"In 2013, Waqf law was made extreme overnight for appeasement, due to which 123 VVIP properties of Lutyens zone in Delhi were given to Waqf," he said.
Amit Shah said Narendra Modi government runs on a very clear principle that we will not bring any law for vote bank because law is for justice and welfare of people.
"Everyone has the right to follow their religion, but conversion cannot be done for greed, temptation and fear," he said.
The Home Minister also spoke of extensive consultations done by the Joint Parliamentary Committee which examined the Waqf Bill.
"We formed a joint committee, 38 meetings were held, 113 hours of discussion took place and 284 stakeholders were included and about one crore online suggestions came from all over the country from all these and after analyzing all these, this law was made and it cannot be rejected like this," he said.
The Home Minister said that from 1913 to 2013, the total land of the Waqf Board was 18 lakh acres, in which from 2013 to 2025, a new 21 lakh acres of land was added.
"There were 20 thousand properties given on lease, but according to the records, these properties became zero in 2025, these properties were sold. This bill will provide protection to the land, someone's land will not become Waqf by mere declaration."
Donation can be made only of one's own property, hence Waqf will not be able to take personal property without ownership.
The bill provides that the right to declare Waqf property has been abolished and now this will have to be certified by the district collector
Amit Shah said even on Ram Janmabhoomi matter, Triple Talaq bill and CAA, efforts were made to create fear among the people of the Muslim community, but the Muslim community also knows that there is nothing to fear.
"It has been two years, no one has lost citizenship due to CAA, if anyone has lost citizenship due to CAA, then the opposition should put this information on the table of the House," Shah said.
The bill was earlier moved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 for consideration and passing in the House by Rijiju.