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AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday voiced his strong opposition to the Centre’s proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling it a direct attack on the Muslim community. He claimed that the new legislation would strip Muslims of their properties and threaten their religious sites.
Owaisi joined the protest wearing a black armband, responding to a call from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to oppose the bill. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was specifically targeting mosques and dargahs through this amendment.
“(Prime Minister) Narendra Modi is firing bullets at our chest through the Waqf Bill—targeting our mosques and dargahs,” Owaisi said.
Questions Raised on Inclusion of Non-Muslims in Waqf Boards
Owaisi also questioned the government’s move to include non-Muslims in Waqf Boards, highlighting that only Hindus and Sikhs can be members of temple and gurdwara boards respectively.
“You (Centre) intend to take away the properties of Muslims. This is part of the Hindutva agenda to prevent us from following our Shariat and our religion. We are telling the government that this law is unconstitutional and violates Articles 14, 15, 26, and 29,” he said.
He further stated that Muslims “cannot stay silent” on the Bill and criticized NDA allies like N Chandrababu Naidu (TDP), Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Chirag Paswan (LJP-Ram Vilas), and Jayant Chaudhary (RLD) for supporting the BJP. He warned that the Muslim community would “never forgive” these leaders for allowing the government to interfere with Shariat laws.
Amit Shah Says Waqf Bill Will Be Reintroduced
Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the government will reintroduce the Waqf Bill in the ongoing parliamentary session.
“We will introduce the Waqf Bill in Parliament within this session,” Shah said while speaking at the Times Now Summit 2025.
He accused the opposition of misleading Muslims, asserting that their rights were not being taken away. “They are just telling lies after lies,” he remarked.
Shah also emphasized that the Bill aligns with the Constitution and allows legal challenges. “A Bill cannot be above the spirit of the Constitution. We are making it in such a way that its decisions can be challenged in courts. Even government orders are challenged in courts. Laws enacted by us, like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), were also challenged in courts. Parliament’s decision to scrap Article 370 (of the Constitution) was also challenged,” he explained.
A Controversial Bill That Has Sparked Heated Debate
The proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill has become a significant point of contention between the ruling government and opposition leaders. While Owaisi and other critics see it as an attempt to undermine Muslim religious institutions, the government insists that it is a fair and legal reform.
As the Bill is set to be reintroduced, it remains to be seen how the debate will unfold in Parliament and whether legal challenges will follow its passage.
