The protest is part of efforts to pressure BJP allies, Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu, to oppose the bill in parliament
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Several Muslim organisations in Bihar have planned a peaceful protest against the “tyrannical” Waqf Amendment Bill at Gardani Bagh in Patna on March 26.
The planned protest, under the aegis of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), will involve key political and religious leaders and various social and welfare organisations from across the state. The aim is to raise awareness and opposition to the controversial bill, which they believe threatens Muslims’ rights and religious property.
The protest is part of the Muslim board’s efforts to pressure the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to oppose the bill in parliament, even though it is an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s NDA government. Similarly, efforts are underway to persuade another Modi ally, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, to oppose the bill.
The Muslim board successfully organised a massive protest at the national capital’s iconic Jantar Mantar on March 17. It was addressed by several opposition leaders including All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Asaduddin Owaisi, Mahua Moitra (Trinamool Congress), Tarun Gogoi and Imran Masood (Congress), Mahmood Madani (Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind), Khalid Saifullah Rahmani (Islami Fiqh Academy), Syed Saadatullah Hussaini (Jamaat-e-Islami Hind) and others. Besides, members of the Sikh community and trade unionists also spoke at the protest venue.
Owaisi warned the TDP, JD(U) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) against extending support to the “unconstitutional” bill. Else, he said, Muslims will never forgive them.
As part of efforts to gather support for the demonstration in Patna, the AIMPLB urged imams of all mosques across the state to address the issue in their Friday sermons on March 21. Accordingly, the imams explained the religious significance of Waqf, its importance in Islam, and the harmful effects of the proposed amendments, to raise awareness among the community.
The protest organisers have accused the central government of attempting to seize control of Muslims’ religious institutions and Waqf properties with the help of its supporters. They describe the Waqf Amendment Bill as a “tyrannical law” designed to dispossess Muslims of their religious properties.
“The bill is an attack on the rights of minorities enshrined in the Constitution of India,” said a Muslim board representative. The organisations involved, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat Ulema, and All India Milli Council, have collectively opposed the bill, calling it a violation of Islamic principles.
“Waqf is not just a charitable act, it is a religious duty. Any amendment that risks the protection of Waqf properties or goes against the intention of the donor is an interference in Islamic law and is unacceptable to us,” media reports quoted the general secretary of Jamiat Ulema (Bihar unit) as saying.
The Muslim leaders have appealed to Bihar’s residents, social leaders, and imams to actively participate in this historic protest to send a strong message against the bill and press the government to withdraw it.
