TN Assembly Passes Resolution Urging Center to Withdraw WAQF Bill
Tamil Nadu Assembly Passes Resolution Against Waqf Bill, BJP Stages Walkout
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday, March 27, 2025, urging the Central government to withdraw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, intensifying a political showdown over the contentious legislation.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who tabled the resolution, argued that the bill undermines the autonomy of Waqf Boards and infringes on the religious rights of Muslims, a stance supported by all parties except the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which staged a walkout in protest.
Stalin slammed the Centre, stating, “The Union government is attempting to amend the Waqf Act, restricting the Waqf Board’s powers. This hurts Muslim sentiments and assaults their constitutional rights.” He accused the BJP-led government of disregarding opposition voices, noting that Tamil Nadu’s concerns, raised before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), were ignored.
The resolution, backed by the ruling DMK, AIADMK, and other allies, reflects the state’s firm opposition to what it calls an “anti-minority” move.
BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan countered, defending the bill as a reform to address mismanagement and encroachments in Waqf properties. “The Centre aims to protect the backward sections of the Muslim community and ensure transparency,” she said, before leading her party’s legislators out of the Assembly.
The walkout highlighted the deepening divide, with the BJP accusing the DMK of playing “appeasement politics.”
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, still under JPC review, proposes digitization and stricter oversight of Waqf properties, but critics argue it centralizes control, threatening state autonomy and minority rights.
As Tamil Nadu joins other states like Karnataka and Kerala in opposing it, the Centre faces mounting pressure ahead of its next parliamentary move.
