India’s parliament passed a controversial bill on Thursday aimed at reforming the powerful Muslim land-owning institutions known as Waqf boards.
The Hindu nationalist government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, argues that the bill will bring greater transparency to the management of these boards, which oversee properties gifted through Muslim charitable endowments.
With around two dozen Waqf boards across India, these organizations control approximately 900,000 acres (365,000 hectares) of land, creating a property empire worth billions.
This makes the Waqf boards among the largest landholders in the country, alongside the railways and the defense forces.
Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, who introduced the bill, stated that it would curb corruption and improve accountability by reducing the influence of entrenched interest groups.
The bill passed through the lower house of parliament after a lengthy debate that stretched into Thursday morning, and it is expected to be approved by the upper house later in the day. If passed, it will grant civil servants greater authority in overseeing Waqf boards.
Interior Minister Amit Shah, a key ally of Modi, emphasized that the changes would help identify individuals who lease out properties for personal profit.
He noted that money meant for the development of minority communities was being misappropriated. Shah also clarified that non-Muslims would be allowed to join the boards but would only be involved in administrative functions.
However, the opposition has strongly criticized the bill, accusing the government of pursuing “polarizing politics” at the expense of India’s Muslim minority, which numbers around 200 million.
Leader of the opposition Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi, labeled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as an attempt to “marginalize Muslims and seize their personal laws and property rights.” Gandhi warned that while the bill targets Muslims now, it could set a dangerous precedent for other communities in the future.
Opposition parties argue that the BJP’s actions, including support for claims about mosques being built over ancient Hindu temples and the effort to construct a grand Hindu temple in Ayodhya, are aimed at strengthening its right-wing Hindu base.
