Congress leader and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi during the press conference.
New Delhi: Congress leader and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared in the court on behalf of one of the petitioners, slammed the centre for presenting retaliation in the form of reform. “Retaliation meticulously scripted, strategically timed, and constitutionally questionable,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay the recent changes made to the Waqf Act after the Centre assured no recruitment would be made to Waqf boards and councils and that Waqf properties declared or registered as Waqf by users would not be denotified till the next date of hearing.
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Calling it an “exercise in erasure” during a press conference, Singhvi assured that the Congress party will not remain silent and will continue to oppose the Act from both inside and outside the Parliament.
The Rajya Sabha MP highlighted a five-division bench’s decision, during the 50s and 60s, that stated that “if the autonomy of any such class of institutions is removed in any way, and if so much control is exerted on them that their autonomy is lost, then it is unconstitutional.”
Singhvi further pointed out the Waqf Act violated Articles 25 and 26 in the Constitution, which guarantee the right to manage religious affairs, by taking over control, which courts have ruled against in the past.
“The Waqf Act is a targeted encroachment. The Act tramples upon established judicial principles in the name of administrative efficiency,” the advocate stated.
Emphasising how the Waqf Act is being used to centralise power under the state, the Congress leader stated, “It not only hurts religious institutions but also crushes the self-determination and autonomy of minorities. It presents interference of power as good governance.”
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Singhvi further observed that even if Muslim representation remains on Waqf boards, it will only be tokenism and not real representation. “A board with a token Muslim representation is another form of appropriation. It’s not about minorities called Muslims—it’s about a message that minority institutions are fair game for state takeover,” he said.
I want to say this is not reform. It is retaliation in the guise of reform. Retaliation meticulously scripted, strategically timed, and constitutionally questionable. The Waqf Amendment Act is not an exercise in efficiency as it pretends to be. It is an exercise in erasure.… pic.twitter.com/4kk9BuqnzI
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 17, 2025
