Waqf act 2025 ignites fierce legal and political clash

President Droupadi Murmu approved the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, on April 5, sparking a firestorm of debate across India. The law, passed by Parliament after marathon sessions—288-232 in the Lok Sabha and 128-95 in the Rajya Sabha—aims to overhaul Waqf property management but faces immediate legal challenges. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind filed a Supreme Court petition today, April 7, claiming it violates religious freedoms and equality under Articles 14 and 26, branding it a “conspiracy” against Muslim autonomy.

Opposition flared regionally too. Tamil Nadu’s assembly passed a resolution rejecting the Act, citing threats to minority rights, while in Jammu and Kashmir, the speaker blocked debate, prompting National Conference MLAs to storm the well in protest. Critics, including Congress and AIMIM, argue it hands excessive control to the government, with District Collectors now deciding Waqf property status, diluting community oversight. “It’s an attack on our identity,” said AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Supporters, including BJP leaders, defend it as a transparency boost—geo-tagging properties, mandating women’s representation on Waqf Boards, and securing inheritance rights for Muslim women. Yet, with protests erupting nationwide and multiple court challenges brewing, the Act’s rollout promises more contention than clarity.