CHENNAI, India, April 3 – Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the political party led by Tamil film star Vijay, has announced a statewide protest on Friday, demanding the repeal of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The announcement follows mounting opposition to the bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha early Thursday after a 12-hour debate. TVK has planned demonstrations in all district headquarters across Tamil Nadu, party sources said.
Vijay has reportedly directed district secretaries to coordinate the protests to ensure maximum public participation. In a statement on Thursday, Vijay called the bill “anti-democratic” and demanded its withdrawal, warning that if the demand was not met, his party would align with Muslim groups in their “Waqf rights legal struggle.”
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has sparked widespread political backlash. It was passed in the Lok Sabha with 288 members in favor and 232 opposing it. Despite strong resistance from the opposition, all proposed amendments were rejected by voice votes.
While the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) defended the bill, claiming it empowers minority communities, opposition parties criticized it as “anti-Muslim” and accused the government of undermining secular values.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju defended the legislation, asserting that India remains the safest place for minorities. “There is no place in the world safer than India for minorities. They are protected because the majority in India is completely secular,” he said during the debate.
The controversy is intensifying, with several state governments and political parties indicating plans to challenge the bill through legal means. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced that the DMK will approach the Supreme Court to contest the legislation.
TVK, officially launched on February 2, 2024, has positioned itself as a party focused on combating corruption and opposing divisive politics. While Vijay did not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he has confirmed that TVK will participate in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. With protests planned across the state and legal battles looming, political tensions over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill are expected to escalate further in the coming days.
