The new legislation is unconstitutional and a symbol of majoritarian psyche; the working committee condemns the sealing of madrasas in Uttarakhand
NEW DELHI – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have resorted to false propaganda about the constitution of Waqf Boards in different states across the country, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Maulana Mahmood Madani faction) has said. Their campaign is directed at misleading the country’s citizens about Waqf Boards, it said.
The Jamiat, one of the premier Muslim organisations in the country, reiterated the demand that the government withdraws the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 saying it violates several provisions of the country’s Constitution and undermines the very structure of the Waqf institution.
Speaking after a meeting of the organisation’s working committee here on Sunday, Jamiat president Maulana Mahmood Madani told reporters that the controversial Waqf law was neither in the interest of the community nor the country. He also alleged that the BJP and its cohorts are creating a wrong impression about the Waqf Boards by portraying them as “usurpers” while Muslims have no say in their constitution. “The state waqf boards are formed by the respective state government ruled by the particular political party and the Central Waqf Council is formed by the Union government, thus the allegation of the usurper is an utter lie,” the Jamiat chief said.
He questioned the government’s claim that the amended law protects Waqf properties while it has removed the criminal clauses from the bill giving a free hand to land-grabbers.
Maulana Madani also blamed the government for violence during the Waqf protest in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Despite the government’s provocative and illegal actions, the community has shown exemplary patience and restraint, he said. When a reporter from one of the pliant TV channels persisted in raising the issue of the surfacing of Hamas and Hezbollah posters in Lucknow, Maulana Madani quipped: You are trying to derail the press conference. He said even wearing black bands in protest against the Waqf law is not being tolerated in the BJP-ruled states. “It is now a question of more than Waqf law. It is democracy vs dictatorship,” he said.
He also emphasised that all protests will be strictly peaceful and democratic. We will also ensure that there will not be any violence during any protest.
Earlier, the working committee meeting focused on several pressing issues. Besides, the Waqf Act, it also discussed government action against madrasas in Uttarakhand, the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and the situation in Gaza. The committee adopted important resolutions and also extended the current membership drive.
A resolution passed by the working committee categorically rejected the Waqf Act, stating it violates several provisions of the Constitution—such as Articles 14, 15, 21, 25, 26, 29, and 300-A. “It also seeks to undermine the very structure of the Waqf institution. The most damaging aspect of this law is the abolition of ‘Waqf by the user,’ clause due to which the existence of historically recognised religious places used as waqf properties is now under threat. According to government reports, the number of such sites exceeds 400,000,” the working committee said.
The working committee affirmed that the present government was violating the spirit and foundational agreement of the Constitution. It said a systematic effort is being made to marginalise an entire community, undermine its religious identity, and relegate it to the status of second-class citizenship.
This meeting also urged the government to refrain from interfering in religious matters and to enact legislation that ensures the protection and retrieval of Waqf properties.
The committee denounced the Uttarakhand government’s move to seal madrasas, calling it a direct violation of Article 30 of the Constitution, which guarantees minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions. The Jamiat demanded the immediate reopening of sealed madrasas and warned that it would resort to legal action if the government failed to comply.
The committee also expressed serious concern over the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand and efforts to undermine the personal laws of the Muslims. “These attempts are an assault on religious freedom and diversity. The issue of UCC is not just about Muslims—it affects all cultural and religious groups in India. Ignoring India’s pluralism will endanger the country’s unity and integrity. Muslim Personal Law is rooted in divine commandments and cannot be altered,” it said.
On the international front, the committee expressed grave concern over Israeli atrocities in Gaza, labelling them as war crimes and crimes against humanity. It urged the Government of India to intervene on humanitarian grounds to ensure an immediate ceasefire, facilitate medical aid for the injured, and ensure the delivery of essential supplies to the besieged population of Gaza.
