The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna has done the right thing to record an undertaking by the Solicitor General of India that the Centre and State governments will not meddle with the most contentious issues in the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, until the next hearing on May 5.
Though the Union Government named the bill as UWMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development, seemingly to mean ‘hope’), it did not explain during the marathon discussion in both Houses of Parliament, as how any of the forty-odd amendments made in the Waqf Act will bring a positive change in the lives of the common Muslims! As always, the judiciary remains as the last bastion of hope to protect the rights of the minorities as enshrined in the Constitution.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin
Kadapa (A.P)
The Waqf (Amendment)Act2025 is Anti-Constitutional
The Waqf (Amendment)Act 2025 is against the Constitution of India because it violates Article 26 and discriminates against the Muslim community. However, this Act doesn’t just target Muslims – it poses a threat to all religious communities, including Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Lingayats, SCs, STs, and OBCs.
The Act may give the government a free hand to seize religious properties of different faiths through its officials in the future. It is also communal in nature, as it fosters hate and misconceptions between communities.
Moreover, this controversial legislation diverts attention from real issues facing Indians and hides the government’s failures. In the present scenario, every Indian should stand against this legislation, protect the Constitution, and demand accountability from the government on pressing concerns.
Mohammed Fathe Ali
Via Email
Is There Necessity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025?
To stop the misuse of Waqf properties and embezzlement of its funds, it actually does not require the passage of the Waqf(Amendment) Act2025 as there has already existed Waqf Act in India, empowering the Waqf Boards to deal with those issues provided the government sincerely lends support and co-operation to the Waqf Boards in this regard.
Muslims have smelt a rat behind the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act2025 as it seeks inclusion of non-Muslims into the Waqf Boards so as to manage the Waqf properties being donated by Muslims. In fact, it infringes the Muslim rights granted to them under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution to manage their religious properties independently. It needs mention here that the non-Hindus are not allowed the entry into the Hindu Trusts managing the Hindu religious properties.
If the BJP government is really concerned with Muslim welfare, it could take some pragmatic measures to de-reserve those reserved assembly and parliamentary seats dominated by Muslims in some states, including Assam and make them general seats as it has significantly reduced Muslim voices in assembly and parliament for which many Muslim issues remain unresolved even 77years after Independence. Even there is not a single Muslim MP among 240 BJP MPs in Lok Sabha.
Muhammad Abdus Samad
Ambari Dhupdhara (Assam)
Raj Thackeray Opposes Hindi Imposition in Maharashtra
It was reported in press and social media that Maharashtra NavnirmanSenaopposed the decision to implement introducing Hindi.
A major row has erupted in Maharashtra over the state government’s move to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language in Marathi and English medium primary schools under NEP 2020.While the opposition parties including Congress &MNS has opposed the Hindi language. We are Hindus but not Hindi, Hindi is not a national language. It is a State language like other languages in the country. The MNS will ensure that Hindi books will not be sold in shops and schools will not distribute those books to students. And CM Devendra Fadnavis has justified the decision, saying Hindi will become bridge language in the country.
Chowdhry Nisar Ahmed
Noorullahpet, Ambur (T.N)