BJP leader and National President of the All India Sufi Board, Haji Arfat Shaikh, strongly supported the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on Friday, expressing his support for the bill while urging the Muslim community to be wary of false narratives from the Opposition.
Talking to IANS, Shaikh said, "First of all, I completely support the Central Government and this Bill. The manner in which this Bill was put before the nation today, the problem had been debated for decades. Various opponents gave their opinions in one way or another regarding what would occur and how it would occur. But we interpreted the Bill as it was placed before us."
Though conceding that he himself might not be a technical or legal expert, Shaikh explained that the major takeaway from the Bill is its transparency, which will especially help common citizens, including Muslim citizens, as such.
He claimed that the suggested reforms would make it much more difficult for corrupt forces, particularly those who have occupied or usurped Waqf land illegally worth lakhs or crores. "Yes, surely those Muslim leaders and Ulemas who have indulged in corruption will find it difficult. They are already suffering. But I appeal to the Muslims of India, particularly Maharashtra, to look at the bigger picture," he added.
Referring to his time with the Minority Commission, Shaikh remembered a statewide campaign he launched in Maharashtra's 36 districts, where his team discovered many mosques, madrasas, and dargahs abandoned or illegally occupied. He regretted the failure of the community to use Waqf land to provide useful services like schools and hospitals and how some instead constructed Urdu Bhawans on government land.
The actual problem has been misgovernance and corruption related to these lands," he underlined. "Most trustees have been lax in their duties, leasing out lands for a few cents less than their worth. Lands worth lakhs have been allotted for just five thousand rupees. Therefore, I would like to say that this Bill will make things transparent, making such frauds apparent and making people accountable.". The government will not touch the religious importance of the land; Waqf land is owned by Allah. No one can sell or purchase it, and the government's role is to see that it is not misused."
Shaikh also brushed aside fears of interference by non-Muslim authorities, promising that the religious identity of every trust would be maintained. "There's no need to worry. Hindus, Sikhs, or Christians will not interfere with Muslim Waqf properties. If it's a Sikh trust, only Sikhs will be involved. If it's Christian, only Christians. This is clear."
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, stating, "The PM has taken tough decisions for the welfare of our nation and society. Some people, without knowing the reality, call him negative. But I request Muslims to see the good things, such as the triple talaq reform, which has empowered many women."
Blaming those who are against the Bill, Shaikh concluded, "Those who are against this Bill are usually the corrupt ones. This Bill will check such things, and the money from Waqf properties will go to the poor and needy. I request all Muslims not to be misguided."
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was adopted in the Rajya Sabha on Friday morning following a contentious debate, with 128 votes for and 95 against. The Lok Sabha had cleared the Bill the day before following almost 12 hours of debate.
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