The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has called for a silent black-band protest on Jumatul Vida against the Waqf Amendment Bill. Muslims across India are urged to wear black bands during Friday prayers to oppose the proposed law, with protests already held in Patna and Vijayawada.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has called for a black-band silent protest on Jumatul Vida, the last Friday of Ramzan, against the Waqf Amendment Bill. The board has urged Muslims across the country to wear black bands on their right arms while attending Friday prayers to express their opposition to the proposed legislation.
Demonstrations held in Patna, Vijayawada
The call for protest follows recent demonstrations in Patna, Bihar, and Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, where AIMPLB members and leaders voiced their concerns over the bill. A protest was also held at Jantar Mantar, with participation from prominent AIMPLB figures, including Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
No protests in Hyderabad for now
Speaking to The Hindu, AIMPLB president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani clarified that while no demonstrations are currently planned in Hyderabad or Telangana, larger protests may be organized if the bill is passed.
“If the bill is passed, we will call for nationwide protests within constitutional limits, including in Hyderabad. However, for now, the Congress party’s stance on the bill is clear, and no protests have been planned in Telangana,” Maulana Rahmani stated.
Targeting NDA allies in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh
Sources within AIMPLB suggest that the protests in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh are aimed at pressuring the respective state governments led by Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, both of which are allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Concerns over the Waqf Amendment Bill
Critics, including politicians and activists, argue that the Waqf Amendment Bill undermines the protection of waqf properties. Key objections include the removal of the “waqf-by-user” provision, the dissolution of Waqf Tribunals, and the transfer of waqf-related decision-making to district collectors.
The AIMPLB and other stakeholders continue to demand the withdrawal of the bill, warning of further nationwide demonstrations if it is enacted into law.
