BJP to Launch Nationwide Awareness Drive on Waqf Reforms from April 20, Targets Misinformation and Vote-Bank Politics

New Delhi: In a strategic push to engage with the Muslim community and clarify provisions of the newly amended Waqf Act, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will roll out a 15-day public awareness campaign starting April 20, party leaders announced on Thursday.

The campaign aims to counter opposition claims about the Waqf (Amendment) Act and highlight how the new provisions will benefit backward (Pasmanda) Muslims and women. The announcement was made during a day-long workshop in Delhi, attended by BJP office-bearers from across the country, including members from its Minority Morcha and Waqf board representatives from BJP-ruled states.

Addressing the gathering, BJP national president JP Nadda hit out at opposition parties, accusing them of “deliberately spreading misinformation” for political gain. “The opposition is misleading Muslims under the guise of protecting their rights, when in reality, the amended law ensures transparency, inclusion, and equitable development,” Nadda said, according to party sources.

He emphasised that the new law, which came into effect on April 8, aims to break the monopoly of a few powerful individuals over Waqf properties and allow these assets to be used for community welfare, especially for the economically weaker sections.

Backing him, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the presence of non-Muslims in Waqf boards is strictly related to property management and governance, not religious matters. “There is no interference in religious rights. This is about bringing efficiency and fairness in how Waqf properties are managed,” Rijiju said.