As the Modi government passes the 2024 Waqf Amendment Bill, Muslim women see long-awaited representation, raising questions about decades of silence, systemic exclusion, and political tokenism.
For years, the rights of Muslim women in India have been treated as secondary in the political narrative surrounding Muslim identity and religious protection. While political parties have often positioned themselves as champions of minority rights, the rights of Muslim women were systematically ignored and sabotaged. “Pro-Muslim” politics, a phrase widely used by many parties, has often overlooked the harsh reality faced by Muslim women, who were left voiceless in decisions about their lives and futures.
The recent passing of the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has sparked hope for Muslim women’s representation in areas traditionally dominated by men. While hailed as a positive move by many, this development raises a difficult and often overlooked question: Has the so-called “pro-Muslim” political stance historically come at the expense of Muslim women’s rights?
A Seat at the Table- Finally
For decades, Waqf Boards, which control vast tracts of community-owned land meant for public welfare, such as schools, hospitals, and community centers, have been dominated by men, with no place for Muslim women at the decision-making table. Waqf properties, which could have been used to enhance the community’s educational and healthcare infrastructure, were instead mismanaged or leased out for private gain. Muslim women had no voice in how these resources were used, and were often left out of decisions that directly affected their lives.
The 2024 amendments brought by the Modi government are seen as a welcome shift, providing Muslim women with a say in the governance of Waqf properties, a first-time change in the history of community administration in India. However, while this move is a step in the right direction, it also serves as a reminder of how long Muslim women have been kept at the margins of political and religious discussions.
Historic Betrayals and Silences
But this silence didn’t start with the Waqf issue alone. Muslim women have faced years of betrayal at the hands of political parties, with their rights frequently sabotaged for vote bank politics. One stark example is the Shah Bano case of 1985, when Congress reversed the Supreme Court’s judgment granting maintenance for a divorced Muslim woman. In this moment of opportunity, Congress chose to prioritise appeasement of Muslim male leaders over the rights of Muslim women, reinforcing a patriarchal narrative that their concerns were secondary to political maneuvering. By overturning the judgment, Congress sent a message: Muslim women’s rights were expendable in the name of communal politics.
This pattern of betrayal continued in various forms, with “pro-Muslim” politics by the Congress and other pro-Muslim parties often leaving Muslim women behind. The Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament, proposing 33% representation for women, was passed with near-unanimity. However, when it came to Muslim MPs, only two – Asaduddin Owaisi and Imtiaz Jaleel voted against it. Why? Because gender equality was not aligned with their political vision of religious appeasement. In the end, Muslim women were again excluded from the decision-making processes that would have brought them closer to genuine empowerment.
The Illusion of Progress: Symbolism vs. Substance
Several moments in recent history have highlighted how Muslim women were often used as political symbols rather than empowered actors. During the anti-CAA protests and the Hijab row, Muslim women were at the forefront, their images widely circulated in the media. But activists argue that these women were not treated as genuine stakeholders in the debates around their own rights; instead, they were paraded as political pawns. In both instances, the leaders and political parties who championed these protests failed to deliver tangible change or reforms that could have addressed the real issues facing Muslim women, such as education, employment, and legal rights.
At the same time, the community’s reluctance to support reforms like the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which would standardise personal laws across all religions, eliminating violating rules like halala practices and giving Muslim women equal inheritance and marital rights, raises critical questions. Why, after decades of demanding political space, are Muslim women still left behind in the fight for gender justice? Pro-Muslim politics seems to prioritise religious identity at the cost of women’s equality.
Shifting Grounds
Prime Minister Modi’s bold stance in criminalising instant triple talaq has provided Muslim women with much-needed legal protection, ending years of suffering and insecurity. This decisive action, alongside the allowing of women to perform Hajj without a male guardian, reflects Modi’s commitment to real empowerment. The Waqf Amendment Bill further strengthens this, ensuring Muslim women’s participation in decision-making processes that impact their lives.
The passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill marks a significant turning point in Indian politics, signaling a departure from identity-driven politics and moving towards genuine gender justice. For the first time, Muslim women are being acknowledged as active stakeholders, not just passive beneficiaries of political decisions. Under Modi’s leadership, these women are now being given their due opportunity to participate in shaping their own future, a major step toward long-overdue empowerment.
While previous governments used Muslim identity as a tool for electoral gain, Modi’s government has focused on action and reform.
A Question That Lingers: Has “Pro-Muslim” Politics Ever Truly Empowered Women?
For years, Muslim women have suffered under political rhetoric that claimed to protect their community but neglected their basic rights. “Pro-Muslim” politics often translate into anti-women policies: failing to grant them equal inheritance rights, equal marital rights, or even the right to education and work. In contrast, Prime Minister Modi’s government has taken bold steps to empower Muslim women, ensuring that their rights are not overlooked or sacrificed for political gain.
The Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 is a monumental step forward, but it is only part of a larger effort to empower Muslim women.
Muslim women are now seeing the fruits of real empowerment, and the answer to the question of whether being pro-Muslim means being anti-women is becoming clearer. Under Modi’s leadership, Muslim women are no longer silenced or sidelined. They are finally being given a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.
