Thu Mar 27 09:12:04 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu CM Condemns Waqf Amendment Bill, Calls it Anti-Muslim
**Chennai, March 27, 2025** – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin strongly criticized the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of minority rights. In a resolution moved in the state Assembly Thursday, he urged the central government to withdraw the bill completely.
Stalin accused the BJP government of harboring “ulterior motives” and targeting specific sections of society. He cited the Citizenship Amendment Act, the imposition of Hindi, NEET, and the National Education Policy as examples of policies detrimental to minorities and marginalized communities. He argued that the Waqf Amendment Bill is another such attempt, specifically targeting Muslims.
The Chief Minister highlighted several problematic aspects of the bill. He pointed out that a provision requiring five years of continuous Islamic practice to donate property for charitable use could invalidate existing waqf properties. He also criticized the bill’s potential to revert government-recognized waqf properties back to state ownership and the creation of separate boards for different Muslim groups. Furthermore, he argued that the removal of Section 40 of the Waqf Act would transfer the power to prove property rights to the government, violating Article 26 of the Constitution. The removal of “waqf by user,” he added, would negate the recognition of properties continuously used for religious or charitable purposes. Finally, he stated that applying the Limitation Act to waqf properties would hinder charitable endowments.
Stalin emphasized that the DMK and other opposition parties had opposed the bill since its introduction in Parliament on August 8, 2024, and that it was subsequently referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. He concluded by stating that the bill’s amendments would cripple the functioning of Waqf Boards, undermine their autonomy, and ultimately infringe upon religious freedom.
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