As Congress on Friday said it will “very soon” challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, BJP countered by asking the main opposition party to refrain from indulging in “petty politics” of appeasement and “provoking” minority community members on the issue. Stating that it will approach the apex court, Congress also said it will continue to resist all “assaults” of the Modi government on the principles, provisions, and practices that are contained in the Constitution.

The ruling BJP said the Opposition may challenge the Waqf (Amendment) Bill passed in Parliament in court if they want, but they should refrain from indulging in “petty politics” of appeasement and “provoking” minority community members on the issue.

“Some legal experts in the Congress are repeatedly saying that it (the Bill) is unconstitutional and they will approach the court. Let them go to court. Nobody is stopping them,” senior BJP leader and former Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in Parliament complex. “They had gone to court on the issue of triple talaq. They also tried to stop the (construction of temple at) Ram Janmabhoomi. They even called (scrapping of) Article 370 unconstitutional,” Prasad said.

The Waqf Bill is “completely constitutional”, the BJP leader said, adding that the Constitution stipulates that the government can enact laws for the progress of women and the backward society.

The Bill seeks to ensure the welfare of Muslims, including women, Prasad said. “Given the mischief they do for vote bank politics, the country is not going to listen to them,” he added.

BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma said it is the duty of the opposition parties to accept the Bill as it has been passed by Parliament, and refrain from “provoking” the minority community members on the issue. It is up to the opposition to decide whether they want to approach the Supreme Court or take to the streets on the issue, the former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, said.

“The opposition should refrain from indulging in petty politics,” Sharma added. In a social media post in Hindi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said,

“The atmosphere in the country regarding the Waqf Board Amendment Bill is such that it feels like this bill has been brought to harass minorities.

Late at night in the Lok Sabha, when this bill was passed, it received 288 votes in favour and 232 votes against.

Why did this happen? This means there are many flaws in the bill.”

From this, one can guess that despite opposition from various parties, this bill was brought arbitrarily, he said. “This ‘might is right’ — won’t be good for anyone!” Kharge said.

In a social media post, All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge organisation Jairam Ramesh said, “The Indian National Congress will very soon be challenging in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.”

“We are confident and will continue to resist all assaults of the Modi Govt on the principles, provisions, and practices that are contained in the Constitution of India,” he said. AICC general secretary  Ramesh also said that the Indian National Congress’s challenge of the CAA, 2019 is being heard in the Supreme Court.