Talk around Chennai: Will BJP 'manage' the Supreme Court to defend the Waqf Act?

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

The talk among influential circles in Chennai is whether the BJP can “manage” the Supreme Court to defend the Waqf Act. People are citing the Apex Court’s judgment in the Ayodhya case, which placated the majority community, and now expect a repeat in the Waqf Act case, which is soon to be contested before the Supreme Court.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP Mohammad Jawed have already moved the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, just hours after it was cleared by Parliament.

In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has also announced that his party will file a case in the Supreme Court against the Bill.

"We will prevent the Bill through legal measures," said Mr. Stalin while speaking in the State Assembly on April 3, 2025. “Our stand is that this Bill should not merely be opposed, but completely withdrawn," he added.

Mr. Stalin strongly objected to the passage of the Waqf Bill and pointed out that although 288 votes were polled in favor, 232 votes were cast against it — a number that cannot be dismissed lightly.

He said, "The Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution on March 27, 2025, urging the Union Government to completely withdraw the Waqf Bill. Except for the BJP, all other members supported our resolution."

"Although we passed the resolution and the majority of political parties opposed it, the Bill was still passed in the Lok Sabha, which is highly condemnable," he added.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister alleged that the passage of the Bill at 2 a.m., despite opposition from the majority of parties and with support from only a few of the BJP’s coalition partners, is "an attack" on the Constitution.

He charged that the “Waqf Bill” puts the question of the country's secularism to the test. “The Bill would destroy the autonomy of the Waqf Board, affect the Muslim community, and disturb religious harmony in the country,” the DMK supremo said, adding that his party will fight against it until it is quashed by the Court.

A Muslim MLA who attended the Assembly session wearing a black armband commented on the developments, saying, “The BJP has bulldozed the voice of 232 members opposing the Waqf Bill, and this interpretation of democracy will be remembered for a long time.”

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai

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