Rallies held in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and several other cities as people express opposition to the controversial Waqf law
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – The second day of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) nationwide campaign against the Waqf amendments saw peaceful protests across various cities, marking the start of the Waqf Protection Week. The Board’s appeal sparked protests after Friday prayers in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Srinagar, Jaipur, Malerkotla, and Bhopal.
In Mumbai, protests were particularly visible, with people wearing black bands and voicing their opposition to the newly enacted law at mosques. Many mosques also held sermons, with scholars and imams explaining the significance of Waqf properties and the potential threats posed by the new law. According to the imams, the Waqf law could result in the legitimisation of illegal occupations on Waqf land after twelve years. They urged people to continue their fight in line with the Muslim board’s guidelines and emphasised that the movement was not aimed at any religion but was a demand for their rightful claims.
Protests took place across Maharashtra as well, with various mosques in areas such as Mumbra, Bhiwandi, and Mira Road organising black band programmes. Maulana Mahmood Ahmed Khan Daryabadi, the Maharashtra convenor for the Waqf Protection Campaign, shared plans for the ongoing phase of the drive, which will last until July 7. He mentioned efforts to involve non-Muslim communities and organise large-scale protests. Daryabadi also noted that protests might include human chains and potential arrests if necessary.
In Kolkata, students from Aliah University organised a rally against the law, raising slogans and marching through the campus. In other parts of West Bengal, protests were held by various Muslim organisations.
Similarly, protests occurred in Bihar’s Palamu district, where villagers gathered in large numbers to voice their opposition. Protesters carried placards and chanted slogans against political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing them of attempts to usurp the Waqf properties.
The Madhya Pradesh Muslim Festival Committee held a protest against the law despite a denied permit to protest at Iqbal Maidan. After Friday prayers, the organisers shifted the protest to a nearby road where they displayed posters and waved copies of the Constitution to express their grievances.
Lucknow saw significant participation from the Shia community, led by Maulana Kalb-e-Jawad. Protesters in the city carried placards condemning the Waqf Amendment Law, with similar demonstrations taking place across the country. In Jammu and Kashmir, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) organised a protest in Srinagar, accusing the central government of using the law to marginalise Muslims. The Jamiat Shia Ulama also held protests in several locations, demanding the law’s immediate withdrawal.
Protests also spread to Rajasthan, with intense demonstrations in Jaipur outside the Qureshian Mosque. A bike rally in Bihar’s Purnia district highlighted the growing resistance, while large groups in Mohali and Malerkotla in Punjab also expressed their opposition to the law.
In Hyderabad, Muslims hit the roads in the city to protest against the law. At several locations, hundreds of people participated in rallies after Friday prayers to register their protest against the “black law” and demanded the government.
The Wahdat-e Islami, a city-based organisation, held a rally at Saidabad. Protestors carried black flags and posters demanding the withdrawal of the Act.
The Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) held a rally at Azizia Masjid, Mehdipatnam. The students raised slogans to highlight the apprehensions in the community over the misuse of the new Act.
As the Waqf Protection Week continues, the protests are expected to intensify, with more rallies and demonstrations planned for the coming weeks.
