Waqf Amendment Bill: Discontent Among SP’s Hindu Lobby & Backward Muslims

By turning the Waqf Board Amendment Bill into law, the Modi government has made history. These amendments have been opposed (Uprooted, Hope), by many political parties within the INDIA alliance, including the Samajwadi Party (SP), openly opposed the bill in an attempt to appease the Muslim vote bank. However, those familiar with Muslim politics believe that the SP might end up losing rather than gaining from this move, as several backward Muslim communities are actually supporting the bill. Among them are Muslim organizations like the All India Sufi Sajjadanshin council, Jamiat Himayat-ul-Islam, and Pasamanda Muslim Mahaz, which have voiced their support for the Waqf Amendment Bill. These institutions have raised sharp questions against those who have been sway over the Waqf Board for decades. They argue that only those Muslims are upset with the bill who have been illegally occupying Waqf properties themselves. The Pasamanda (backward) Muslim organizations which claims to represent marginalized Muslims, supports the bill. In the September 2024 JPS meeting, it described the bill as beneficial to present day Muslims. This organization argues that the bill would reform the Waqf Board and benefit the marginalized sections of the Muslim communities by something leaders of the community.

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This explains why SP chief Akhilesh Yadav (ex-chief minister) seems to oppose the bill. MPs Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh, Zia-ur-Rehman Barq from Sambhal, Iqbal Hasan from Kairana, Afzal Ansari from Ghazipur, and Mohibullah Nadvi from Rampur harshly criticized the Modi government in the Rajya Sabha. Professor Ramgopal Yadav let the anger during the debate emerge. During the debate, one Muslim MP even threatened that Muslims would not accept this law. SP MP Iqra Hasan falsely claimed during the debate that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh were not allowed to offer prayers. SP MPs selected by Waqf Amendment Bill were either from the Yadav family or Muslim MPs of close allies. MPs who spoke extensively, four were from the Mulayam Singh Yadav family. Among SP’s 37 MPs, none outside the Yadav clan or communities were given the opportunity to speak. This has led to suspicion regarding the party’s internal functioning reports. Some suggest that Hindu MPs within the SP are now concerned about their political future. Due to