A roundtable meeting featuring political leaders, scholars, and civil society representatives was held in Hyderabad on Sunday
NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD — Opening up the front against the Waqf Act again after a pause in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday organised a roundtable meeting in Hyderabad featuring political leaders, scholars, and civil society representatives.
Claiming that the new law is another targeted attack on the Muslim minority community, the AIMPLB plans large-scale protests as part of a nationwide campaign opposing the legislation.
In a statement, Dr SQR Ilyas, national spokesperson of the AIMPLB and convenor of the All India Save Waqf Campaign, announced the schedule of public events across various states, with significant gatherings expected in Telangana, Maharashtra, and Bihar, among others.
Telangana:
In Hyderabad, a massive women-centric public gathering with an estimated attendance of 100,000 is planned for May 22. Key figures from the Muslim board, parliamentarians, and women’s wing conveners will address the crowd.
A major public gathering in Warangal on May 20 is expected to draw over 100,000 participants.
In Nizamabad, a district-wide public meeting on May 30 is expected to attract significant local engagement.
Maharashtra:
A public meeting with an expected crowd of 70,000–80,000 is planned in Jalgaon on May 23.
The next day (May 24), a multi-faith gathering is planned in Nanded with participation from Hindu and Sikh community members, both in attendance and among the speakers.
A landmark event in Aurangabad’s Marathwada region on May 25 is expected to draw over 200,000 attendees, surpassing previous records.
Bihar:
Large public events have been planned in partnership with Imarat Shariah Bihar-Odisha and other community organisations under the Muslim board’s guidance. Prominent cities involved include Patna, Kishanganj, Araria, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Saharsa, Madhubani, Siwan, and Darbhanga.
Events are also gaining momentum in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, where earlier programs were postponed due to national developments.
According to Dr Ilyas, these public engagements aim to raise awareness within the Muslim community about what he described as the government’s “malicious intentions” behind recent Waqf-related amendments. He emphasised the role of these programmes in countering misinformation and uniting public opinion against what are seen as discriminatory and unconstitutional changes.
He also expressed optimism that the Supreme Court would intervene to provide interim relief on the contested amendments in its hearing scheduled for 20 May.
