Waqf Act 2025: How Legislation Divided Bharat

Hinduinfopedia
Apr 21, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Apr 22, 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz0BkbxFX9U

How Legislation Divided Bharat

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, aimed to fix mismanagement in Bharat’s waqf properties—Islamic endowments for charity—through digitization and appeal rights but fueled protests and communal tensions. Our fourth HinduInfoPedia blog explores the legislative process, Hindu silence, and media’s role, asking why reforms sparked division.

Legislative Mistrust

The Act tackled waqf board malpractices, like land grabs in Uttar Pradesh, enabled by the 1995 and 2013 amendments’ unchecked powers (Sachar Committee, 2006). The JPC’s 34 sittings in cities like Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai consulted 284 stakeholders, including waqf boards, farmers, and scholars, and received 1 crore public emails (Hindustan Times, August 9, 2024). JPC leadership called it thorough, noting further plans for consultations in Bihar and West Bengal (ANI, September 24, 2024). A JPC member highlighted engagement with 42 organizations in Hyderabad (DD News, January 27, 2025). A minister emphasized 200 encroachment complaints as reform impetus (Hindustan Times, August 9, 2024). Critics, citing slower Congress-era norms with higher bill referrals (PRS India), deemed it rushed. Excluding Hindu groups like RSS fueled mistrust, deepening communal tensions (The Hindu, November 7, 2024).

Hindu Grievances Ignored

Hindu organizations stayed silent despite waqf claims on 250 acres in Alipurduar, West Bengal (8.74% Muslim), causing unrest among farmers (The Indian Express, October 20, 2024). In Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu (8.6% Muslim), 1,200 acres were disputed, with no Hindu response (The New Indian Express, October 15, 2024). Government inaction during Murshidabad protests targeting Hindus raised fairness concerns, echoing triple talaq tensions (Times of India, April 13, 2025).

Media’s Role

Media focused on protests, ignoring waqf issues and Hindu grievances. Kerala Christians’ reform support, representing 18% of the population (Kerala Kaumudi, October 10, 2024), was sidelined, skewing narratives and fueling communal division.