Indian rights groups demand repeal of Waqf law targeting Muslims
Progressive alliance warns new rules strip Muslims of property rights, likening them to wider Hindu nationalist legal assaults
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A coalition of civil society groups has called for the immediate repeal of India’s amended Waqf law, warning that it threatens to disenfranchise Muslims and undermine minority protections. The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), a network of progressive organizations, described the measure as part of a broader campaign to marginalize the country’s 200 million Muslims.
In a statement issued September 6, the alliance criticized the government for passing the Waqf (Amendment) Act in April with the backing of its regional allies, even as petitions challenging its constitutionality are pending before the Supreme Court.
The law was followed in July by new regulations under the “Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025.”
NAPM said the legislation erodes community control over Islamic charitable properties. Among the changes: disputed Waqf land is deemed non-Waqf until cleared by the district collector; the long-recognized practice of “waqf by user” has been scrapped; Waqf boards must now include non-Muslim members; and only Muslims who have practiced the faith for at least five years may dedicate property.
Activists argue these provisions amount to state interference and restrict long-standing religious and cultural practices.
India officially records 870,000 Waqf properties nationwide, nearly half falling under the now-abolished “waqf by user” category. Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accounts for around 15 percent of the total, and critics fear the new law will make it easier for state authorities to claim disputed properties.
The alliance accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of pursuing discriminatory policies under the guise of reform. “When a party whose leaders have incited violence against Muslims and built careers on anti-minority politics speaks of community welfare, it rings hollow,” the statement said.
Activists link the Waqf amendment to a wider pattern of laws and policies — from the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2019, which excluded Muslims from fast-track naturalization, to state-level “anti-conversion” legislation and bulldozer demolitions targeting Muslim neighborhoods. Together, they argue, these measures form part of a Hindutva project designed to weaken Muslim communities both civically and economically.
“The Waqf Amendment Act is unconstitutional, discriminatory, and threatens India’s pluralism,” NAPM said, vowing to continue mobilizing alongside other movements. The Supreme Court’s pending judgment on the law will be closely watched as a test of India’s constitutional safeguards for minorities.
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