New Delhi/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which came into effect on April 8, supports poor people in the Muslim community which he claims was deprived by the previous Congress government.

Speaking at an event of News 18, Modi said, "Through the politics of appeasement, Congress got power, some fundamentalist leaders got wealth, but the question is what did the common Muslim get? What did the poor Pasmanda Muslim get... he got neglect, illiteracy, unemployment. Whereas Muslim women like Shahbano get injustice."

"I congratulate the Parliament of the country for making a wonderful law in the interest of the entire society, in the interest of the Muslim community. Now the sacred spirit of Waqf will be protected and the rights of poor and Pasmanda Muslims, women and children will also be safeguarded."

The Prime Minister said almost one crore online suggestions had poured in regarding the Waqf bill that has irked the Opposition with some of the rival camp parties moving the Supreme Court.

Modi said, "The debate on the Waqf Bill stands as the second longest in our parliamentary history. Discussions on the bill spanned 16 hours across both houses, accompanied by 38 meetings of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), totaling 128 hours of deliberation.

"Moreover, nearly 1 crore online 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 Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed by both Houses of Parliament last week after marathon debates.

The Bill became an Act after it received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday.

The Act came into effect on Tuesday, April 8.

The opposition has called the bill "anti-Muslim" while those from the treasury benches hailed the "historic reform".

Supreme Court to hear petitions against Waqf Act on April 16

The Supreme Court will hear a batch of petitions filed against the Waqf Law, which has already come into force, on April 16.

However, the government has filed a caveat in the top court, which states that no orders should be passed without hearing its perspective.

So far, 15 petitions have been filed on the contentious bill, which was passed by the Parliament last week.

The bill has faced multiple reservations from the Opposition, and sections of the Muslim community have raised objections on several amendments.

Most of these reservations were raised during the marathon 12-plus hour debate on the bill in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and Thursday last week.