The Congress on Friday said that it will challenge the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which got clearance from both houses of Parliament. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the grand old party is confident and will continue to resist all assaults of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government. On the other hand, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the passage of the contentious bill ‘historic’.
The Rajya Sabha cleared the Waqf Bill during the early hours of Friday by a majority of 128 votes against 95. It was cleared by the Upper House a day after it was passed by the Lok Sabha. Now, the bill will be required to be sent to President Droupadi Murmu for her assent.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh took to the social media platform X and stated that the grand old party will challenge the in the Supreme Court constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
“The INC will very soon be challenging in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2024,” the MP said.
He added, “We are confident and will continue to resist all assaults of the Modi Govt on the principles, provisions, and practices that are contained in the Constitution of India.”
The INC’s challenge of the CAA, 2019 is being heard in the Supreme Court.
The INC’s challenge of the 2019 amendments to the RTI Act, 2005 is being heard in the Supreme Court.
The INC’s challenge to the validity of the amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules (2024) is being…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 4, 2025
Samajwadi Party leader and former MP, ST Hasan, called the bill ‘unconstitutional’.
Talking to news agency ANI, Hasan said, “It is an unconstitutional bill. The Supreme Court may reject it. The Muslim community is their experimental laboratory. These are ways to destroy the country. One day, it will be revealed who all were involved with foreign forces to weaken the country.”
#WATCH | Moradabad | On Waqf Amendment Bill, Samajwadi Party leader & former MP, ST Hasan says, “…It is an unconstitutional bill. It is possible that the Supreme Court will reject it. The Muslim community is their experimental laboratory. These are ways to destroy the country.… pic.twitter.com/NNuCAUAj7O
— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2025
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati also posted on X, stating that it would have been better if the government had given more time to the public to understand the bill.
“After listening to both the ruling party and the opposition on the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament, the conclusion that emerges is that it would have been better if the central government had given the public some more time to understand this bill and had also addressed all their doubts before introducing it,” she said.
“But the sad thing is that the government has brought this bill in great haste and got it passed, which is not appropriate, and now that this bill has been passed, if governments misuse it, then the party will fully support the Muslim community, meaning that in such a case, the party does not agree with this bill,” the BSP Leader added.
1. संसद में वक़्फ संशोधन बिल पर सत्ता व विपक्ष को सुनने के बाद, निष्कार्ष यही निकलता है कि केन्द्र सरकार यदि जनता को इस बिल को समझने के लिए कुछ और समय दे देती तथा उनके सभी सन्देहों को भी दूर करके जब इस बिल को लाती तो यह बेहतर होता। (1/2)
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 4, 2025
TMC MP Sagarika Ghose remarked that this is a sad day for India as an ‘openly anti-constitutional bill’ has been passed.
Talking to reporters, Ghose said, “It is a very sad day for the Republic of India that today an openly anti-constitutional bill like the Waqf Amendment Bill has been passed, which 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.”
#WATCH | Delhi | #WaqfAmendmentBill passed in Rajya Sabha, TMC MP Sagarika Ghose says, “It is a very sad day for the Republic of India that today an openly anti-constitutional bill like the Waqf Amendment Bill has been passed, which fundamentally erodes the individual freedom to… pic.twitter.com/L2kHb43O60
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2025
On the other hand BJP and other parties hailed the passage of the bill. Home Minister Shah in a post on X called it a ‘historic day’ when Parliament cleared the Waqf Bill.
He wrote, “Today is a historic day when Parliament, by approving the ‘Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025’, has put an end to an era of injustice and corruption that had persisted for years and ushered in an era of justice and equality.”
आज एक ऐतिहासिक दिन है, जब संसद ने ‘वक्फ (संशोधन) विधेयक, 2025’ को स्वीकृति देकर वर्षों से चले आ रहे अन्याय और भ्रष्टाचार के युग का अंत किया है और न्याय व समानता के युग की शुरुआत की है।
इस विधेयक के माध्यम से वक्फ बोर्ड और वक्फ संपत्तियाँ अधिक जवाबदेह, पारदर्शी और न्यायसंगत होने…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 4, 2025
Furthermore, Chairman of the JPC of Waqf (Amendment) Bill and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said that the Muslims have ‘thanked the government’.
“It’s neither a black day nor will there be any dispute. They tried to create a dispute—be it All India Muslim Personal Law Board or Owaisi. They asked the people to offer Namaz by wearing a black band. They tried everything to create instability during the pious Ramazan month. If it’s a black day, this is for Congress only. Muslim brothers and sisters have thanked the government that now the poor will get their rights,” said the Chairman of the JPC on the allegations of opposition parties, after both the Houses passed the Waqf Bill.
#WATCH | Delhi | “…It’s neither a black day nor will there be any dispute. They tried to create a dispute—be it All India Muslim Personal Law Board or Owaisi. They asked the people to offer Namaz by wearing a black band. They tried everything to create instability during the… pic.twitter.com/jYzohjoURF
— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2025
Mohammad Amir Rashid, President of Dara Shikoh Foundation, said that there is a wave of joy amongst the Pasmanda Muslims after the passage of the Waqf Bill.
He said, “The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has been passed in the Rajya Sabha and the poor and Pasmanda Muslims are very happy… The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has brought a new ray of hope… We burst crackers, lit candles and also distributed sweets… The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 will open new doors of development for Muslims.”
#WATCH | Aligarh, UP | Mohammad Amir Rashid, President of Dara Shikoh Foundation says, “The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has been passed in the Rajya Sabha and the poor and Pasmanda Muslims are very happy… The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has brought a new ray of hope… We burst… https://t.co/lLTTHxj15E pic.twitter.com/IFi0Faqu9F
— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2025
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora said that Muslims were being ‘used for vote banks’ and were kept away from development.
Talking to the news agency, he said, “Today is a historic day for minorities. Muslims were just being used for vote banks and were kept away from development… Muslims will hugely benefit from the Waqf Amendment Bill. Shiv Sena (UBT) is against Hindus. They did a lot of politics on the Waqf Amendment Bill; they are not just against Hindus but also Muslims.”
#WATCH | Delhi | #WaqfAmendmentBill passed in Rajya SabhaShiv Sena MP Milind Deora says, “Today is a historic day for minorities. Muslims were just being used for vote banks and were kept away from development…Muslims will hugely benefit from the Waqf Amendment Bill. Shiv Sena… pic.twitter.com/EsKcCslGQX
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2025
Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reacted to the clearance of the Bill in both Houses and called this a ‘watershed moment’.
“The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill by both Houses of Parliament marks a watershed moment in our collective quest for socio-economic justice, transparency, and inclusive growth. This will particularly help those who have long remained on the margins, thus being denied both voice and opportunity,” PM Modi wrote in a post on X.
(with ANI inputs)
