Waqf Amendment Bill protects interest of Muslims, says Deve Gowda in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Voicing support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Thursday said that it does not interfere with religious practices of Muslims.

Participating in the debate on the bill, the JD(S) leader said that the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tried to prevent the misuse and usurping of donated land for a particular purpose to a community by the rich and powerful.

The bill, he explained, aims to regulate the administration of properties under Waqf Boards, which currently control Rs 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres across India. Around Rs 1.2 lakh crore worth lands have been misused by vested interests. "In the interest of justice, the new bill has been aligned with the basic principles of our Constitution," Deve Gowda emphasized.

He reiterated that the government has a duty to protect the rights of all citizens, including Muslims. "Muslim citizens are also equal citizens of this country. Their interests have to be protected by the government, and that is what the bill does," he said.

He alleged that properties donated in the name of Allah had been misused by powerful intermediaries, particularly in states like Karnataka.