The House of Commons of India passed a controversial bill proposed by Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government to amend the law Muslim donations Valued at over $14 billion.

this WAQF Act Non-Muslims will be added to the board of directors that manage the endowment and will allow the government to play a more important role in verifying their land holdings. WAQF refers to personal property – movable or non-movable – that is Permanent donation by Muslims For religious or charitable purposes.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) believes that the proposed changes to the 1995 WAQF law will help fight corruption and mismanagement while promoting diversity.

But Muslims fear the move could leave WAQF property – historical mosques, shops, shrines, cemeteries and thousands of acres of land – more likely to be confiscated, disputed and demolished.

On Wednesday, a fierce debate over the WAQF bill took place in the lower house of the country’s parliament, which Congress-led opposition called unconstitutional and discriminatory to Muslims.

However, the BJP, with the help of allies, was able to vote through the bill with 288 members and voted on it earlier on Thursday because it lacked most seats in the House of Commons.

The bill will be debated in the upper house of parliament on Thursday. If passed, it will send it to her consent before becoming law.

One of the most controversial changes to the WAQF Act is its ownership rules, which could affect hundreds of mosques, shrines and cemeteries, as many of these properties lack formal documents as they were not donated decades or even centuries before without legal records.

Many Indian Muslims are concerned that the Indian nationalist government will gain greater control over Muslim property, especially when Modi’s attacks become more frequent and aggressive. Muslims are usually aimed at everything from food and clothing to religious marriage.

“Blatant violation of constitutional rights”

In India, WAQF properties are distributed in nearly one million acres (about 1562.5 square miles), almost twice that of Mauritius. On WAQF Boards and Federal Government Territory established by 32 governments in the state, they are cared for by WAQF Boards established by 32 governments.

Each state’s board of directors includes government nominees, Muslim lawmakers (current or no available places, former legislators), academics and caregivers (“Mutawallis”) overseeing property management. Everyone must be Muslim.

During Wednesday’s parliamentary debate, Home Minister Amit Shah said non-Muslims can only be included on the WAQF board for management purposes and help make the donations smoothly. He added that they were not there to interfere in religious affairs.

“Members of (non-Muslim) will monitor whether the government is operating under the law and whether the donation is used for their intentions,” he said.

In an article on X, the main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said the bill was “a weapon designed to marginalize Muslims and usurp their personal laws and property rights.” He warned that the bill “is directed at Muslims today but defined a precedent for other communities in the future.”

“We are not afraid of Muslims, you are scaring Muslims. I mean, citizens of any country, no matter what religion, will not be hurt.” Shaa said, accusing him of opposing the spread of “misconcepts and rumors.”

The All-Indian Muslim Private Law Commission (AIMPLB), the leading Muslim organization in India, rejected the bill, calling it “discriminatory, community-motivated, blatantly infringing on the constitutional rights of Muslim citizens.”

The group said the proposed move would erode the autonomy of the WAQF board, calling on citizens to pass the bill in parliament to take to the streets. AIMPLB also stated that it would bring the matter to the court.

“Two positions can be retained for non-Muslims on the WAQF board, but does that mean that Muslims will receive similar reservations on the board of Hindu temples?” asked Kamal Farooqui, an AIMPLB official. “The Modi government wants to control the Islamic Land Bank and they have no right to undermine our institutions.”

Hindu right-wing groups have made claims against several mosques across India, believing they were built on the ruins of Indian temples. The 16th century mosque is Demolition by Hindu mob In 1992, many of these cases were heard in courts across the country in Ayodhya, northern India.

Muslims make up 14% of India’s 1.4 billion people and are the largest ethnic minority in most countries in India. They are also the poorest government investigations.

A 2006 report by the government-appointed Sachar Committee urged overhauls of the WAQF board and surveillance of real estate to bring higher returns to the Muslim community.