Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution urging the Union government to withdraw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, citing concerns over its alleged negative impact on Muslim rights in the country. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, received unanimous support from all major political parties, including the AIADMK, but saw the BJP stage a walk-out ahead of the vote.

Chief Minister Stalin strongly opposed the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, 1954, emphasising that the Indian Constitution guarantees religious freedom for all groups. He expressed concern that the amendments would severely harm the interests of Muslim minorities.

"The central government is inserting schemes that are against state rights, culture and tradition. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is destroying the rights of Muslims. The central government has not thought about the welfare and rights of Muslims," Stalin remarked during his speech in the Assembly.

He also highlighted that members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), DMK representatives A. Raja and M.M. Abdullah, were not allowed to voice their opinions during committee discussions, which Stalin condemned as a disregard for democratic values.

The chief minister further noted that the amendments, particularly the provision for two non-Muslim members to be included in state waqf boards, were seen by many as an attempt to undermine Muslim autonomy over waqf properties.

"This is an infringement on religious freedom and will hurt Muslim sentiments," Stalin said.

In a show of democratic courtesy, Stalin invited BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan to express her views, underscoring that the DMK had always upheld the principle of allowing the opposition to voice its opinions.

In response, Srinivasan defended the amendments, claiming that they were introduced to address irregularities in waqf property management and to safeguard the interests of the "backward sections" of the Muslim community, especially by providing better representation for women.

However, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S. Regupathy countered Srinivasan's arguments, asserting that key voices from the JPC had been ignored, particularly those critical of the Bill. Regupathy described the proposed amendments as an "economic assault" on the Muslim community, further fuelling Opposition to the legislation.

PMK leader G.K. Mani echoed these concerns, suggesting that the Bill should only proceed if the Union government could build a consensus among all stakeholders. AIADMK member S.P. Velumani also expressed support for the resolution, reinforcing the broad opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill within the state Assembly.

The resolution, which was passed unanimously, called on the Union government to withdraw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. It stressed that the amendments would adversely affect the religious rights of minority Muslims and urged the continuation of the Waqf Act of 1995, which is seen as essential for the regulation of Waqf properties.

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The Waqf Act of 1995, while long criticized for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments, has been the subject of ongoing reforms. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to tackle these challenges by introducing digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. A Joint Parliamentary Committee has been established to examine the Bill and consult with experts and stakeholders before any final decision is made.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly's resolution reflects a growing concern over the potential repercussions of the proposed changes to the Waqf Act, especially among political parties and stakeholders in the state. With this strong opposition, the future of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, now hinges on discussions at the national level.