Waqf Act amended in 2013 to appease extremists, land mafia: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed the amendment to the Waqf Act in 2013 by the Congress government as an attempt to appease ‘extremist elements’ and ‘land mafias’, saying the rights of marginalised Muslims, women, and children will now be safeguarded under the amended law.

“The 2013 amendment to the Waqf Act was an attempt to appease extremist elements and land mafias. The amendment created an illusion of being above the Constitution, restricting the very pathways to justice that the Constitution had opened," Modi said during an event on a private news channel.

Referring to the recent amendment to the Waqf-related laws, he noted that the debate surrounding Waqf stems from the politics of appeasement, which is not a new phenomenon. “The seeds of appeasement were sown during India’s freedom struggle,” he added.

Modi emphasised that the sanctity of Waqf will now be preserved, and the rights of marginalised Muslims, women, and children will be safeguarded. He highlighted that the debate on the Waqf Bill was the second-longest in India’s parliamentary history, with 16 hours of discussion across both Houses.

Nation