All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Waris Pathan has strongly defended party chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s dramatic protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill. On Thursday, Pathan justified Owaisi’s act of tearing a copy of the bill in the Lok Sabha, asserting that no Muslim could accept such legislation in good conscience.

A Symbolic Protest Against an Unjust Law

Speaking to ANI, Pathan emphasized that Owaisi’s actions mirrored historical protests against unjust laws.

“He (Owaisi) gave an example of Mahatma Gandhi that when he was aggrieved, he tore away a law of South Africa. His conscience also said that this bill is unconstitutional; the BJP is trying to divide the nation in the name of religion, and so, in protest, he tore apart the bill. What is wrong with it? I would also have done the same thing had I been in his place. No Muslim’s conscience would allow such laws to be passed. In fact, I would have torn it and thrown it into the air. This is a direct attack on our community,” said Pathan.

Expressing deep concern, Pathan described the passage of the bill as a “dark day” for Muslims in India. He accused the BJP-led government of consistently targeting the Muslim community through discriminatory laws.

Condemning the Bill and Vowing Continued Resistance

Pathan went on to criticize the government’s intentions behind the bill, alleging that the ruling party aimed to seize Waqf properties under the pretext of legal amendments.

“Ever since they (BJP) came to power, they have only spread hatred, and this is yet another example of that. This bill is completely unconstitutional. It is a direct attack on Muslims, and all they want to do is usurp our Waqf properties. We will continue our protest against this bill as per our constitution. We will take all legal routes. They have shown that they have got the strength and they will do whatever they want to. This is nothing less than dictatorship, and they have shown that. We will continue our protest till the Modi government takes it back,” Pathan asserted.

On Wednesday, Asaduddin Owaisi voiced his strong opposition to the bill, tearing a copy of it during a heated debate in the Lok Sabha. He argued that the proposed amendments would unfairly impact Muslims, limiting their rights over Waqf properties.

“This Bill is an attack on Muslims. The Modi government has started a war on my freedom. My mosques, my dargahs, my madrasas are on target. This government is not revealing the truth. This Bill violates Article 14- Equal Protection. Limitations will be imposed. By doing so, the encroacher will become the owner, and a non-Muslim will administrate the Waqf Board. This Bill also violates Equality For Law,” Owaisi stated.

Despite fierce opposition from the INDIA bloc, the Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 on Wednesday after an intense debate. While BJP and its allies defended the bill, claiming it would bring transparency and efficiency to Waqf boards, opposition leaders continue to challenge its legitimacy.

(With Inputs from ANI)

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