New Dehi: The heated debate underway as the Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tabled the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Both houses allotted eight hours for discussion on the Bill. The bill was formulated on the basis of recommendations from a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) which reviewed the bill after it was tabled in August last year.

While speaking at the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee expressed his opposition to the bill. “On behalf of AITC, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, I strongly oppose the Bill in its entirety,” he said in the parliament.

Parliament has no authority to make law regarding Waqf property, TMC MP said. He accused the government of attempting to take control over Waqf properties through this proposed Bill.

Also Read | Waqf Amendment Bill Today: Can It Overcome INDIA Bloc’s Opposition?

According to Banerjee, the bill aims to introduce classifications within Waqf boards based on sects, which he maintained that was indicating “evil intention” of the ruling party.

“Under the guise of the Waqf Amendment Bill, the government is attempting to create different classifications of Waqf boards based on sects. If the title speaks of unification, then why does the bill seek to divide? Classifications within Waqf boards based on sects are indicative of the ruling party’s evil intention,” Banerjee asked.

Also Read | Your WhatsApp Messages Are Not Private: CIA Can Access, Says Zuckerberg

The reworked Waqf (Amendment) Bill, also called the ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) was already facing stiff resistance from the opposition groups including the INDIA bloc and prominent Muslim groups, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).