Kerala Opposition Leader Warns UDF's Waqf Stand Harms Minority Interests

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday stated that the United Democratic Front (UDF) government's stand in the Supreme Court on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, would sacrifice minority interests and adversely affect pending writ petitions. His remarks came after the Supreme Court quashed the Kerala High Court's interim order imposing administrator rule on the Waqf Board.

In a statement, Vijayan welcomed the Supreme Court's decision but expressed concern that the state government had reiterated its stance from the High Court, supporting Section 14 of the new Waqf Act. This section mandates the inclusion of two non-Muslim members in the Waqf Board, a move challenged in several Supreme Court petitions.

Vijayan noted that the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had not appointed non-Muslim members to the board. He quoted an intervention petition filed during the LDF's tenure, which argued: “There is no rationale behind inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Waqf Boards and there is strong legal contention that such inclusion of non-Muslims violates articles 14, 25 & 26 of the Constitution. As per the amended Section 14, except four members under clause (c), all seven members can be non-Muslims, and the state government may nominate members of its choice.”

Criticising the UDF government, Vijayan alleged it was pretending to protect minorities while following a Sangh Parivar agenda. He accused UDF supporters of spreading rumours about disqualifications of current Waqf Board members, despite no legal action being taken. “If there are disqualifications, the government has the power to act as per law, but it hasn't. Instead, it creates a smokescreen through media,” he said.

Vijayan further claimed the moves were part of a conspiracy to capture the Waqf Board after the change of power. He contrasted this with the LDF's conduct in 2016, when it allowed the previous UDF-appointed board to continue until its term ended in 2019. “The UDF has degraded to accepting the Sangh Parivar-sponsored law that questions minority rights. We extend full support to the current Waqf Board's legal efforts to ensure Kerala's legal battles are not weakened,” he added.