Can non-Muslims be part of Waqf Trust? Amit Shah dismisses misconception

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Rising Bharat Summit on April 9.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday clarified that no non-Muslim individual will be a part of the Waqf Trust.

During an interview to Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at the Rising Bharat Summit, Shah said Waqf makes "waqif" (the person who creates a waqf) and a “mutawalli” is appointed to administer and manage the property. “If you see, Waqf is a trust. Religious trusts are managed by those who create it. We have not made any provision to appoint a non-Muslim to Waqf trust,” he said.

When asked about the appointment of non-Muslims as part of the Act guideline, the minister said those people would be “part of Waqf board and council”.

“Like we can’t keep [non-Hindus] in a temple trust, we can’t keep [non-Muslims] in Waqf trust. But is it compulsory that the charity commissioner is a Hindu? He can be a Sikh; he can be a Muslim or a Christian. If it is a temple trust, it should be managed by Hindus. Similarly, a non-Muslim should not be part of a Waqf trust. If Waqf involves lands in the name of Allah, then the management should be in the hands of Muslims,” he said.

However, Shah said there is no link to religion for a role to supervise if the charity is adhering to stipulated guidelines. “It is part of an administrative process. Where is religion involved here? Still, we have only kept 2 non-Muslim members out of 14. Tell me, the Waqf land disputes are about acres and acres of land. If two Hindus monitor the working of Waqf, then what is the problem? Does a Hindu not have this much right in this country,” said Shah.

According to the newly passed Act, in central Waqf council, 2 out of 22 members (excluding ex-officio) can be non-Muslims. In state Waqf boards, 2 out of 11 members (excluding ex-officio) can be non-Muslims.

Shah said also dismissed the Opposition allegations that the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, infringes upon the religious rights of Muslims. “This a last-ditch attempt by the nearly extinct Congress for its survival. This is a part of their appeasement policy,” said the Union Minister.

He also questioned Congress leader’s Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s absence during the passage of the Act in Parliament.

“Why did Priyanka Gandhi not vote? Why did Rahul Gandhi not speak if this was such a big issue for them? Rahul Gandhi shouts from roof top that he is not allowed to speak…why did he not? He could have spoken the entire time allotted to his party," he said.

According to the home minister, only some leaders in the Muslim community are protesting the new law, for which the Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging it on April 15.

The bill, which sought to improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India, was passed in Rajya Sabha with 128 votes in favour of the bill, as against 95.