Speakers claim the bill contains unconstitutional and discriminatory provisions to paralyse Waqf Boards and to encroach upon the endowed properties
Abdul Bari Masoud | Clarion India
CHENNAI – A massive protest rally here strongly demanded the withdrawal of the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024. The rally claimed that the bill contains unconstitutional and discriminatory provisions to paralyse Waqf Boards and to encroach upon the endowed properties.
Tens of thousands of people took part in the demonstration near the city’s Rajaratnam Stadium in Egmore on Friday. It was organised by the Federation of Tamil Nadu Islamic Organisations and several political parties.
Addressing the gathering, Maulana Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi, General Secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said the bill was a blatant meddling in the religious affairs of the Muslim community. According to him, the bill was introduced with the malicious intent of usurping the Waqf properties. He stated that the AIMPLB has already made it clear that it will use every democratic and legal tool at its disposal to block the measure from becoming law.
Maulana PA Khaja Moinudeen Bakavi, President of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Islamic Organisations, stated that the large assembly will send a clear message to the ruling class to refrain from such subversive conduct. He noted that the proposed Waqf bill is opposed by all political parties in Tamil Nadu.
MH Jawahirullah, President of Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), and MLA, expressed strong disapproval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks, implying that the bill will be approved during the winter session of Parliament. He underlined that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is still examining the bill while the Union Minister said the bill will be passed betraying the bad intention of the government. He contended that Shah’s comments are undermining the JPC’s national consultations, which are paid for by public funds. “This whole exercise seems to be a waste of time and resources,” Jawahirullah said alleging that the administration was pushing the Bill without giving it any thought.
Trichy Siva, floor leader of the DMK in the Rajya Sabha, K Selvaperuntagai; President of TN Congress Committee, Dr. Thol Thirumavalavan; President of the Viduthalai Siruthaikal Katchi, R Sachithanandam; CPI(M) MP KA Subparayan, and Maulana Hussain Madvoor, Chief Imam of Calicut’s Grand Masjid; AS Umer Farooq, General Secretary of SDPI; Moulvi Haneefa Manbaee, State President of Jamaat-e-Islami, and other representatives of other organisations addressed the gathering.
The speakers highlighted that the bill takes away many rights granted to minorities by the Constitution and is discriminatory against Muslims. They also claimed that the bill paves the way for the encroachment of Waqf properties by lenient provisions against encroachers.