Dhaka, April 4 -- India's parliament has passed a contentious bill proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government, introducing amendments to laws regulating Muslim land endowments, despite strong opposition from Muslim groups and political opponents.

The legislation mandates the inclusion of non-Muslims in the boards that oversee waqf properties and grants the government a larger role in verifying land ownership. The government argues that these measures will improve transparency and combat corruption, while critics fear they will weaken Muslim minority rights and could lead to the seizure of historic mosques and other waqf properties.

The bill sparked intense debate in both houses of parliament. The Lower House...