NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday tore into the Opposition, including Congress over their protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was brought into force with effect from April 8, 2025 by the government.
PM Modi said the ‘politics of appeasement’ runs behind the opposition to the Waqf Act, which is aimed at ensuring social justice to women and poor Muslims.
Speaking at the ‘RisingBharat ’summit of a media house-just hours after his government notified the Waqf Amendment Bill as a law with immediate effect, PM Modi said the Waqf Amendment Act has been passed for ‘societal justice’ in 2025 while the UPA passed the 2013 Act to appease radicals and help the land Mafia.
Taking a jibe at the previous government, he said that the Waqf Act had then become an instrument of fear and through the Act, Congress appease some Muslim leaders and others.
Giving a detail and pinching response against Opposition’s ongoing protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill, passed recently by the both Houses of Parliament, PM Modi said the appeasement politics is against the concept of social justice.
Assuring the Muslim women and poor, PM asserted that new Waqf Law will keep the rights of women and poor Muslims safe as the new Waqf Act is aimed at welfare of common Muslims.
Throwing light on the alleged misuse of Waqf Act earlier, he said the land of temples, churches and Gurudwara were claimed by the Waqf as its properties.
Amid all protests by the Opposition on the new Waqf Act, Modi clarified that exhaustive consultations were held to frame the new Waqf Act
“The debate on the Waqf Bill stood as the second longest in our parliamentary history. Discussions on the bill spanned more than 16 hours across the Houses of Parliament accompanied by 38 meetings of the JPC ,totalling 128 hours of deliberations”, PM said.
He further added that nearly 1 crore online suggestions were received from citizens across the country. “This underscores that democracy is not limited to the walls of Parliament is being enriched and strengthened through active public participation”, he said.
Making a frontal attack on Congress, PM Modi the Congress obtained power resorting to the politics of appeasement, some fundamentalists leaders got wealth, but the question remained as what did the common Muslim get during the Congress times.
“What did the poor Pasmanda Muslim get? He got neglect, illiteracy, unemployment whereas Muslim women got injustice like Shahbano”, PM said lashing out at Opposition included Congress.
He hailed the Parliament for making a wonderful law in the interest of the entire society, in the interest of the Muslim community.
Assuring the Muslim people and dispelling doubts on the new Waqf Act, PM categorically asserted, “Now the sacred spirit of Waqf will be protected and the rights of poor and Pasmanda Muslims, women and children will also be safeguarded”. Speaking on his government mantra on development, he said ‘delay is the enemy of development’ and his government has resolved to end it.
He said that the government has taken many bold decisions in the interest of the country. At the summit, Modi highlighted his government's achievements in every sector and assured that the government is determined to explore youth talents in alls sectors through all supports for innovation and entrepreneurship. He also dwelt upon the success of Mudra Loan scheme adding details that the youths have been hugely benefited from this scheme like women.