T.N. CM Stalin writes to PM Modi urging complete withdrawal of Waqf (Amendment) Bill

The proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995, have not taken into consideration the constitutional protection given to minorities and are bound to severely harm the interests of the Muslim community, he said

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday (April 2, 2025) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the Union government to completely withdraw the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which has been taken up in Lok Sabha for discussion.

Tamil Nadu is at the forefront of protecting the rights of minorities who live in harmony and religious amity in the State, Mr. Stalin said in his letter. 

The Constitution of India grants every citizen the right to follow their respective religions and it is the duty of the elected governments to uphold and protect this right. However, the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995, have not taken into consideration the constitutional protection given to minorities and are bound to severely harm the interests of the Muslim community, he added.

The provisions in the existing Waqf Act are time-tested and they provide protection to properties of the Waqf. The amendments proposed to the Waqf Act will weaken the powers and responsibilities of Waqf Boards in the management and protection of Waqf properties, Mr. Stalin noted.

The large-scale modifications proposed across a wide range of sections in the existing Act will dilute the very spirit of the Act itself, he said. 

For example, the proposed mandatory inclusion of two non-Muslim members in State Waqf Boards will undermine the religious autonomy of the Muslim community’s ability to manage its religious and charitable endowments independently, Mr. Stalin said.

Removal of the ‘Waqf by user’ provision threatens the status of many historical Waqf properties. The stipulation that only individuals, who have practised Islam for at least five years, can donate properties to Waqf will prevent non-Muslims from donating properties, which will hinder the syncretic culture of the country, he said.

Since the existing Waqf Act, 1995, is adequate and has clear-cut provisions to safeguard the interest and properties of Waqfs, it is our view that there is no need for such far-reaching amendments to the existing Act, Mr. Stalin said.

He also pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on March 27, 2025, passed a unanimous resolution to urge the Union government to completely withdraw the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. 

Mr. Stalin requested Mr. Modi’s personal intervention in protecting the interests of Muslim minorities and preserving Waqf institutions.

Published - April 02, 2025 03:02 pm IST