The Waqf row, escalating as of May 22, 2025, centers on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, passed by India’s Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in April 2025, with filming of protests in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The Act, aimed at reforming the Waqf Act of 1995, seeks to enhance transparency in managing Waqf properties but has sparked heated debates over religious autonomy, land rights, and alleged government overreach, leading to legal challenges and public unrest.

Origins of the Controversy

The Waqf Act, 1995, governs 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres, valued at ₹1.2 lakh crore, making Waqf Boards the third-largest landowners in India. The 2025 amendments, tabled by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, include key changes: removing the “Waqf by user” provision, empowering District Collectors to arbitrate property disputes, mandating non-Muslim representation in Waqf Boards, and requiring centralized registration. Critics, including AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi, label it “anti-Muslim” and unconstitutional, arguing it dilutes community control and risks legitimizing encroachments via the Limitation Act, 1963. The government defends it as a transparency-driven reform, citing a 116% rise in Waqf land claims since 2013 due to mismanagement.

Key Developments and Protests

The controversy erupted in Karnataka in November 2024 when farmers in Vijayapura received notices claiming 1,500 acres as Waqf property, later corrected to 11 acres due to a 1974 gazette error. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah withdrew the notices after protests and stone-pelting in Honwada village. In West Bengal, communal violence in Murshidabad during anti-Waqf protests killed three and displaced hundreds, prompting BSF deployment. The Supreme Court, hearing challenges from Owaisi and others on April 16, 2025, assured no denotification of Waqf properties or non-Muslim appointments pending review, with a hearing set for May 20.

Current Tensions and Outlook

The row has fueled distrust, with Opposition parties alleging the BJP aims to seize Muslim land, while the government insists reforms protect vulnerable Muslims. X posts reflect polarized sentiments, with some calling it an “evil plan” and others decrying Waqf Board “land grabs.” Legal battles, including 120 pending petitions against the 1995 Act, and ongoing violence highlight the need for transparent land record verification and stakeholder dialogue to resolve this contentious issue.

-By Manoj H