Non-Muslims will not have majority in Central Waqf Council: Kiren Rijiju

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moves motion for consideration of Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Thursday, April 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday (April 4, 2025) rejected the Opposition’s allegations that the Waqf (amendment) Bill was aimed at grabbing Muslim’s land or their rights. Tabling the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, he sought to allay the fears that non-Muslims would become the deciding authority in the Central Waqf Council and that the properties that had been in use for long but had no deed papers would be endangered.

Mr. Rijiju also sought to clear the air on inclusion of non-Muslims in the Central Waqf Council, underlining that Muslims would remain in majority in the council and the fear around this was unfounded. He also clarified that the proposed legislation had nothing to do with religion but dealt only with properties. The Minister also informed the House that there were 4.9 lakh waqf properties in 2004, which had now increased to 8.72 lakh. The waqf properties, as per the available data, he said, was the largest chunk of properties in the country, apart from Defence and Railways. “It has been said here that Muslims will be harmed by the step we are taking. Many people said this is unconstitutional, illegal and the right of Muslims is being snatched away… Very categorically, I want to reject all these allegations,” Mr. Rijiju said.

He also underlined that the amendment was introduced in the Bill after it went through Parliamentary scrutiny in the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which suggested that the Bill should not be implemented retrospectively.

He further said out of 22 members in the Central Waqf Council, not more than four would be non-Muslims, including ex-officio members, besides three members of Parliament who could be of any religion. The Council must include two women members, he added.

The question of the majority being non-Muslims did not arise, he reiterated.