Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public Meeting, in Hisar, Haryana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently spoke strongly about the misuse of Waqf land during a rally in Hisar, Haryana. He said that the land meant for helping the poor was used by land mafias, and the poor and backward Muslims got nothing from it.

Waqf Land Misused, Says PM Modi

Modi said, “Across the country, there are lakhs of hectares of land in the name of Waqf. This land, this property, should have been used for the welfare of the poor, helpless women and children. And if it had been used honestly, my young Muslim boys wouldn't have had to spend their lives fixing cycle punctures.”

He blamed land mafias for taking advantage of the Waqf land. He added, “This only benefited a handful of land mafias. The backward Muslim community did not gain anything.” He also said that these mafias were grabbing lands that belonged to Dalits, backward classes, Adivasis (tribals), and widowed women.

 Targeting Congress on Muslim Welfare

PM Modi also criticized Congress leaders. He called them “vote bank-hungry politicians” and questioned their sympathy for Muslims. Modi said, “I want to ask these vote bank-hungry politicians, if you truly have even a little sympathy for Muslims in your heart, then why doesn't the Congress party make a Muslim the party president? Why don't they do it?”

He also challenged the Congress Party by saying, “If they really care, they should give 50% of their Lok Sabha tickets to Muslims. Let Muslims speak for themselves. But they won't do it, because their intention is not to benefit anyone.”

 Role of Muslim Widows in Starting Waqf Law Reforms

Modi revealed that many Muslim widows had written letters to the Indian government. That’s when the government started discussing changes in the Waqf law.

He said, “When Muslim widows wrote a letter to the Indian government, only then did the discussion on this law begin. After changes were made to the Waqf law, the exploitation of the poor will now come to an end.”

He added that the new law has an important rule: the Waqf Board can no longer claim any tribal land or house anywhere in India. “We have taken a significant and responsible step. We have added a provision to this Waqf law, which ensures that under the new law, the Waqf Board will not be able to seize any tribal land or a tribal's house anywhere in India,” he said.

The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 Passed

The new law, called the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, was passed in the Rajya Sabha on April 4, with 128 members supporting and 95 opposing it. Earlier, the Lok Sabha had passed it with 288 votes in favour and 232 against.

However, the law has faced strong opposition. Many politicians and minority rights groups say this law is against the fundamental rights of Muslims. They believe it may harm the community’s legal rights over Waqf properties.