Turbulent year in politics: Waqf to Vande Mataram, key issues raise eyebrows
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) – The year 2025 is nearing its end. This year has been a significant one for the country's political landscape. Numerous issues saw significant debate between the ruling party and the opposition. Several major controversies increased tensions between the ruling party, the opposition, and the public. These issues ranged from international tensions to domestic electoral issues, legal reforms, and social issues. We explore these issues.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, has been a major controversy in Indian politics. This law was introduced to change the management of Muslim religious properties, but it was widely criticized as an attack on the rights of the Muslim community. Opposition parties and Muslim organizations called it unconstitutional, while the government called it a step to increase transparency. The controversy raged from Parliament to the Supreme Court.
Another major issue in 2025 was the fairness of the elections. While the opposition accused the government of "vote theft," NDA leaders responded. The allegations of vote theft sparked widespread debate across the country. In August, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused the 2024 Lok Sabha elections of rigging. The Congress claimed the Election Commission was in collusion with the BJP. A "Freedom from Vote Theft" campaign was launched, and there was talk of impeaching the Chief Election Commissioner. The BJP used this as an excuse for its defeat. This controversy remained in the news throughout the year, raising questions about the fairness of electoral institutions.
The issue of electoral transparency also sparked significant political controversy over the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR) scheduled for 2025. The Election Commission launched the SIR in Bihar and expanded its campaign to 12 states and union territories across the country. The opposition, particularly the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, termed it "vote theft" and alleged that it targeted minority and opposition voters. Meanwhile, the ruling party described the SIR as a necessary step to purify the voter rolls and emphasized the removal of bogus voters.
Operation Sindoor was the biggest highlight of this year. In April, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killed over 25 tourists. India accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor in May, carrying out missile strikes on Pakistani targets. The two countries engaged in drone warfare, and India suspended the Indus Water Treaty and halted trade. This was the biggest international dispute of the year, significantly increasing tensions between the two countries. Its political impact was also felt. While the opposition expressed its support for the government in taking action against the terrorist attack, it also accused the central government of succumbing to US pressure.
US President Donald Trump claimed to have brokered a ceasefire in the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025, a claim that has drawn criticism from opposition parties. Congress and other parties alleged that the government failed to strongly refute Trump's false claims. The opposition raised serious questions about the government's foreign policy. Trump repeatedly claimed that he prevented war after a phone call from Modi, but India refused third-party mediation. The opposition demanded a discussion in Parliament.
Trump's statement calling India a "dead economy" also created a political storm in the country. In August 2025, Trump criticized India's high import tariffs on social media, saying that India does "very little business" with the US and is a "dead economy." Rahul Gandhi also echoed Trump's statement in India and strongly criticized the central government. Opposition parties also attacked the Modi government, alleging that US-India relations are steadily deteriorating under "Trump 2.0."
The arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the NSA in September 2025 also sparked a major political controversy. Violence broke out in Leh during the ongoing agitation demanding full statehood for Ladakh and the Sixth Schedule, resulting in the deaths of four people. The government accused Wangchuk of incitement, while the opposition and activists called it an attack on democracy. The Congress and other parties condemned the arrest and accused the government of suppressing a peaceful movement.
Ethnic violence in Manipur, which had been ongoing since 2023, continued into 2025. More than 200 people were killed and thousands displaced. The government was accused of failing to stop the violence. Furthermore, the granting of citizenship under the CAA and the strict enforcement of minority rights against Rohingya refugees fueled controversy.
The year 2025 saw Lalu Prasad Yadav's family feud dominate Bihar politics. In May, Lalu expelled his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the party and family for six years, citing controversial social media posts. Tej Pratap formed a separate party and contested the elections, but was defeated. Meanwhile, the RJD's crushing defeat in the assembly elections (only 25 seats) exposed deep rifts within the family.
Following the defeat, daughter Rohini Acharya leveled serious allegations against her brother Tejashwi Yadav and his allies, announcing her decision to renounce the family and quit politics. Rohini described feeling humiliated and even described being hit with slippers. This discord became a topic of discussion from social media to Parliament, raising questions about RJD unity.
At the end of the year, the discussion in Parliament on the 150th anniversary of the national anthem "Vande Mataram" became the center of political controversy. During the debate, the ruling party accused the Congress party of "fragmenting" the song by removing verses from it at the demand of the Muslim League, which was a form of appeasement politics and sowed the seeds of partition. The opposition countered these allegations. Congress, citing Tagore's advice, said that only the first two verses were adopted to maintain Hindu-Muslim unity. The opposition party called the government's accusation an attempt to divert attention from issues like unemployment.