Dawoodi Bohra Delegation Meets PM Modi In Delhi, Thanks Him For Waqf (Amendment) Act

Members of the Dawoodi Bohra community met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Thursday for a discussion on Waqf and other issues. 

The delegation is reported to have expressed their gratefulness to the Prime Minister for the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, which has accommodated some of their key demands.

A spokesperson from the community in Mumbai confirmed the meeting and said that the discussion was on a range of topics, including Waqf and social welfare projects in the community.

After the meeting, Modi put out a message on 'X' to say: Had a wonderful meeting with members of the Dawoodi Bohra community! We talked about a wide range of issues during the interaction.

News agency PTI quoted officials who said delegation told Modi that it was their long-pending demand as they reposed faith in his vision of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas'.   

They were accompanied by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in the meeting.The Dawoodi Bohras are a Shia Muslim community predominantly living in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. They are led by a spiritual leader called the Syedna who represents an Imam in seclusion. They have their headquarters in Mumbai.

The community was represented by noted lawyer Harish Salve during their representation to the Joint Committee of Parliament, which was headed by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. The bill sent to the JPC after it faced opposition in the Parliament when it was first introduced.The bill was passed by Parliament om April 8.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a batch of pleas challenging the constitutionality of the law, described by the government as a tool to bring  transparency and efficient in the management of Waqf properties. Muslim religious endowments are administered by central and state Waqf Boards.

Some of the changes proposed in the bill including representation for Dawoodi Bohras, mainstream Shias, Aga Khani, and other minority communities within the larger Muslim community in the boards.

A member of the Dawoodi Bohra community who spoke at the meeting said that by passing Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, he fulfilled a 100+ year demand since the community hereditary leader, the 51st Dai al-Mutlaq, or Syedna, sought exemption. He further states that this step is for the welfare of minorities within minorities.