The DMK government adopted a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on March 27, urging the NDA-led central government to withdraw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, calling it a direct infringement on the religious and property rights of the Muslim community. It termed the Bill a fundamental attack on India’s secular fabric. CM Stalin appealed to lawmakers to stand against it, stating that it could “ultimately cripple the functioning of Waqf institutions over time.” The resolution, demanding a complete withdrawal of the Bill in Parliament, was passed with the support of nearly all parties in the state, including the AIADMK, while the BJP alone opposed the move and staged a walkout. Meanwhile, NDA ally PMK supported the Bill.
While moving the resolution, CM Stalin accused the BJP-led central government of “systematic discrimination” against minorities and non-BJP-ruled states. He said, “The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is yet another attempt by the Union government to interfere in the religious administration of Muslims. This law increases government control over Waqf properties, undermines their autonomy, and threatens the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.”
In his address, the CM said, “Whether it is the Citizenship Amendment Act, the imposition of Hindi, financial discrimination against non-BJP states, or anti-social justice policies like NEET and NEP — every action of the Union government targets specific communities.” He accused the BJP of introducing “a divisive agenda” in governance, saying that the Bill would “create unnecessary legal hurdles for Waqf institutions” and “strip them of their rightful autonomy. These amendments do not just affect the Muslim community; they violate the very principles of religious freedom enshrined in our Constitution.”
ஒன்றிய அரசு மக்களவையில் அறிமுகம் செய்துள்ள வக்ஃபு சட்டத் திருத்த முன்வடிவினை (The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024) முழுமையாகத் திரும்பப் பெற வேண்டும் என்று ஒன்றிய அரசை வலியுறுத்தி, தமிழ்நாடு சட்டமன்றப் பேரவையில் அரசினர் தனித் தீர்மானத்தை முன்மொழிந்து மாண்புமிகு முதலமைச்சர் @mkstalin… pic.twitter.com/mkjS302yoM
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) March 27, 2025
Stalin said that members of his party in the JPC had registered their concerns and opposition: “But the Committee has rejected the suggestions of the Opposition,” Stalin said, adding, “The Union Cabinet has also approved the Committee’s decisions. At this stage, the Waqf Amendment Bill can be tabled in Parliament at any time. I feel it is urgent to register our protest against this Bill, which aims to deceive Muslims.”
Tamil Nadu CM stated that the Bill contradicts existing legal protections and sets a dangerous precedent for minority rights in India. He pointed out, “By abolishing the Waqf Board’s authority to identify properties and transferring that power to the government, the Union is trampling upon Article 26 of the Constitution, which guarantees religious groups the right to manage their own affairs.” Stalin further stated, “Imposing the Limitation Act on Waqf properties is essentially eroding the community’s legal standing over its assets. Multiple political parties across India have voiced their objections, yet the Union government has ignored these concerns.”
In a video post on X by Sanghi Prince, TN BJP chief K. Annamalai, who is in Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, can be heard saying,…in India, the Defence Ministry is in the first position, followed by Indian Railways, and then the Waqf Board, which owns nearly 9.40 lakh acres of land worth approximately Rs 1,25,000 crore. This was Hindus’ property, grabbed by Muslims. In fact, Modi should have banned the Waqf Board without making any amendments to the Act.”
இந்தியாவில் அதிகமான நிலம் முதலில் இந்திய ராணுவத்துக்கும், இரண்டாவதாக ரயில்வேக்கும், மூன்றாவதாக மதவாத வக்ஃபு போர்டுக்கும் இருக்கு, அதாவது 9.40 லட்சம் ஏக்கர் – @annamalai_k
இது மக்களிடம் பிடுங்கிய சொத்து. சொல்லப்போனா மோடி ஜி திருத்தம் செய்யாம வக்ஃபு போர்டை தடை செஞ்சிருக்கனும்🔥 pic.twitter.com/wV8zVOooRb
— Sanghi Prince 🚩 (@SanghiPrince) March 27, 2025
Speaking to ANI, AIADMK national spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said, “It looks like the DMK is in a hurry to set a narrative based on religion and language. The point here is, there was a JPC—what is its outcome? Why are the parties whose members are in the JPC not challenging the Waqf issue in the judiciary? Why is there a rush to pass a resolution in the Assembly? Trying to instigate people for vote-bank politics is highly condemnable.”
He said it was a clever move by the DMK to instigate people for vote-bank politics ahead of the Assembly elections, as its government is facing a strong anti-incumbency wave.
Sri TV, in an image, listed out the DMK’s appeasement schemes, questioning whether it is the DMK or the Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (MMK). The image highlighted various expenditures for minority welfare during the past four years, including:
- Rs 450 crore allocated for minority welfare
- Government holiday for Milad-un-Nabi
- Rs 80 crore for Haj Committee administrative expenses
- Rs 2.5 crore annual subsidy to the Waqf Board
- Rs 1,000 monthly stipend for Muslim students from grades 1 to 8
- A second Haj House in Nanganallur at an estimated cost of Rs 65 crore
- 45 kg of sandalwood for the Nagoor Kandoori Sandalpaste Festival
- 7,920 tonnes of raw rice at a cost of Rs 18.41 crore to mosques for Ramzan porridge
- Rs 10 crore Haj pilgrimage subsidy
- Rs 23 crore for renovating and maintaining dargahs and mosques in Tamil Nadu
VCK MLA Alur Shah Navas said, “The Centre is trying to impose Hindi in the name of the three-language formula.” A netizen responded, questioning, “Is it okay to teach Urdu in government schools?”
ரொம்பவும் கூவதடா கொத்தடிமை உருது டாபர்
🤦🏻🤦🏻💦💦 https://t.co/kAfwcEExpR pic.twitter.com/g9sDOlom90— ArunmozhiVarman 🇮🇳 🕉🚩🛕🎻🎧🎙🎶 (@Arunmozhi_Raaja) March 27, 2025
Critics argue that, apart from benefiting minorities, the government has also extended several financial schemes to Christians, amounting to several crores. They point out that neither the Church nor the mosques contribute anything to the government, whereas the HR & CE department collects crores from temples and temple properties while doing little for their upkeep, even paying meagre salaries to priests. In contrast, Church and mosque employees are provided with vehicles and financial assistance, including salaries, under the DMK’s version of “social justice.”
Critics further argue that unless the definition of “minority” is redefined, minority appeasement will reach alarming levels, driven solely by vote-bank politics. They suggest that the minority population limit should be set at a minimum of 3% or a maximum of 5%, given that the current minority population stands at 30–40%. In neighbouring Karnataka, the government has even provided Muslims with a quota in the tendering process.
The Waqf Board has claimed ownership of several prime properties, including the Parliament complex in Delhi. This led the Centre to revisit the Bill with amendments. After review by the JPC, the Union Cabinet approved the amendments, and the Bill is now likely to be tabled in Parliament during this session.
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