India, April 3 -- After a heated 12-hour debate, the Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, early Thursday with 288 votes in favor and 232 against. The ruling NDA government defended the bill as a progressive step for minority welfare, while the opposition labeled it "anti-Muslim" and a direct attack on constitutional rights.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly refuted claims that minorities were unsafe in India, stating, "There is no place in the world safer than India for minorities." He emphasized that the bill would unify all minorities, citing overwhelming support from the Christian community. Rijiju added that the bill would streamline Waqf property disputes and provide justice to widows, divorced women, and orphans.

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