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The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram said the amended law ensures equal land rights for all and ends a system that had, according to them, given Waqf Boards unchecked power over land acquisitions
The RSS said that the Modi government made an ‘irregular Act regular’ and the people, who were suffering, have finally been ‘set free’. (PTI)
The Narendra Modi government’s fresh amendment to the Waqf Act is being celebrated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which called the earlier Act “unconstituional”. With debates raging over the fresh amendments, the RSS said the Modi government made an ‘irregular Act regular’ and people who were suffering have finally been “set free”.
Speaking exclusively with News18, a senior office-bearer of the organisation said: “It was a long-pending reform. The earlier Act was unconstitutional and irregular. Finally, it has been made a regular Act in consonance with the Constitution of Bharat. The course of history has been set right.”
The affiliated organisations of the RSS, including Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the RSS, and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, an RSS-backed body working with Adivasi communities, have also issued statements, with both seeing it as a long-overdue correction of historical land injustices.
Senior functionaries of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram have revealed how the organisation actively engaged with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), submitting several memorandums while presenting evidence of how tribal lands were allegedly encroached upon under the previous Waqf law.
Now, with the government’s intervention, the senior Sangh functionaries claim the move will not only restore land to its rightful owners but also bring marginalised tribal communities into the national mainstream.
Calling the amendment “fair, just, and inclusive”, the functionaries argue that the amended law ensures equal land rights for all and ends a system that had, according to them, given Waqf Boards unchecked power over land acquisitions.
‘Transparency’ Ensured
Welcoming the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the ABVP said in a statement: “This Bill will help resolve several disputes related to Waqf through a just process and inclusion of non-Muslims and women in Waqf Council will make it more transparent, impartial and credible. The provisions mandating the audit and registration of Waqf properties and ensuring the protection of government properties are also commendable making this more efficient.”
It added, “Under the Waqf Amendment Bill, online registration of Waqf properties will be mandatory within six months, granting the government the authority to audit and monitor them, hence preventing the misuse of law. The inclusion of non-Muslims and women will ensure diversity, fairness and broader consensus in decision-making. The Bill, passed democratically in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, stipulates that only properties received through donations will be considered Waqf property, and no property can be claimed as Waqf without proper documentation and survey.”
Virendra Solanki, ABVP’s national general secretary, said: “The Waqf Amendment Bill passed by both the Houses of Parliament is essential for ensuring fairness in Bharat’s overall development. Various disputes and challenges have arisen concerning the previous Waqf law which will now be addressed fairly through this Bill. The call for integration of non-Muslims and women in the Waqf Council will make it even more impartial.”
“The efforts to eliminate discrimination based on religious sects will put an end to the concept of parallel authority. All Bharatiya citizens must study this newly amended law comprehensively and compare it with previous provisions to develop a fact-based understanding. ABVP appreciates the government’s significant step towards transparency and judicial reforms and considers it a historic initiative towards equality and inclusivity in Bharatiya society,” he added.
The organisation also lauded the amendment that said the claims on government properties under Waqf would be examined by senior officials and if found invalid, the property would be recorded as the government’s in the revenue records, creating ethical and credible decision-making in case of disputes. The Bill also allows decisions of the Waqf Tribunal to be challenged in the high court, enhancing transparency in the judicial process and strengthening individual rights, stated the organisation
‘Engaged Multiple Times With JPC’
A senior functionary of the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, that works among tribal populations across states, said the provision which ensures that tribal land that comes under 5th and 6th Schedule of the Constitution will remain outside the purview of Waqf will protect such land from illegal occupation.
The organisation also stated that the provision is the result of “the continuous efforts of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram for the last 15 days”. In a statement, the organisation said: “Earlier, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram had submitted memorandums to JPC across the country, due to which JPC recommended in its report that provisions for protection of tribal land should be made in the Waqf Bill.”
With elections approaching in multiple states, the move is expected to strengthen BJP’s tribal outreach, particularly in states where land rights remain a politically sensitive issue.