Waqf Bill anti-Muslim, claims former MLA Gogi
Criticising the Centre over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, former MLA and senior Congress leader Shamsher Singh Gogi described the Bill as “anti-Muslim” and accused the government of attempting to polarise society for electoral gains.
The Bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, which governs the management and regulation of Waqf properties across India.
Speaking to "The Tribune", Gogi said instead of introducing such amendments, the government should focus on removing encroachments from Waqf properties and ensure that they were used for charitable purposes.
“There should no discrimination between communities. The Constitution of India treats everyone equally and grants equal rights to all citizens. I oppose these amendments as they are unconstitutional,” he said.
Gogi alleged that the BJP government was deliberately targeting the Muslim community through this legislation and warned that similar laws could be introduced in the future against other religions.
He pointed out that the Bill violated Article 25 of the Constitution, which guaranteed the right to freedom of religion. “Today, they have brought this Bill against Muslims. Tomorrow, they will bring similar Bills against other religions. This is nothing but an attempt to weaken India's secular fabric," he claimed.
The Congress leader also questioned the contradictory statements by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the composition of Waqf boards.
“The government, instead of dividing society, should focus on development work, controlling inflation, and generating jobs, which are major issues. The passing of the Bill is an attempt to divert the country's attention from key issues," he said.
