Appeasement politics brought Congress to power but ordinary Muslims faced neglect: PM Modi on Waqf law

New Delhi, Apr 08: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the new Waqf law was a significant move of his government towards social justice, contending that the previous law, enacted in 2013, was an attempt for appeasement of land mafia and Muslim fundamentalists.

Addressing News18's Rising Bharat Summit, Modi said the politics of appeasement was at the root of the debate over the issue of Waqf and it brought the Congress to power and some Muslim fundamentalists became rich.

"But, the moot question is what benefits did the ordinary Muslims get? What did the poor Pasmanda Muslims get? They were only subjected to neglect. They did not get education, they faced unemployment and Muslim women faced injustice like Shah Bano, where their constitutional rights were sacrificed at the altar of fundamentalism," Modi said.

The prime minister said a similar attitude led to the country's partition in 1947 when Congress leaders did not wipe out the idea of a separate nation that was nursed by "some fundamentalists" and not ordinary Muslims.

He said the Waqf law enacted in 2013 by the Congress-led UPA government created an illusion that the Act was above the Constitution.

"The amendment to the Waqf law in 2013 was an attempt to please Muslim fundamentalists and land mafia. This law created an illusion that it was above the Constitution. The path to justice laid down in the Constitution was narrowed down by the Waqf law," Modi said.

"This law emboldened land mafia and fundamentalists. In Kerala, the claims of Waqf on the land holdings of Christians; in Haryana, the land of gurdwaras was in dispute; and in Karnataka, there were claims on the lands of farmers," he said.

The prime minister said the law meant to deliver justice became a source of fear.

He asserted that the amended Waqf Act was in the interest of society and the Muslim community.

"I congratulate Parliament for enacting a splendid law. Now, the pious intention of Waqf will be upheld and the rights of the poor Pasmanda Muslims, women and children will also be protected," Modi said.

He said the debate on the Waqf Bill was the second longest in India's parliamentary history.

"Discussions on the bill spanned 16 hours across both Houses, accompanied by 38 meetings of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), totalling 128 hours of deliberations. Nearly one crore suggestions were received from citizens across the country. This underscores that democracy is not limited to the walls of Parliament; it is being enriched and strengthened through active public participation," the prime minister said.

He said his government, in the first 100 days of 2025, has opened new doors of possibilities with its policies, asserting that India is going to neither bow nor stop now.

"We have opened up new possibilities through our policies," the prime minister said, citing the decision to allow private players in space and nuclear sectors.

He said despite global challenges, India has raced fast and doubled the size of its economy in just a decade.

"People who thought India would move slowly and steadily now see a fast and fearless India," Modi said.

He said that peace, stability and security were very necessary conditions for fast development and said his government curbed terrorism and Naxalism.

The government has shown strong political will and sensitivity in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Modi said the aspirations of the youth are reflected in the decisions of his government in these 100 days which have also laid a strong foundation for the future.