Muslims across India held widespread demonstrations to protest the Waqf (Amendment) Act, stating that Modi-led BJP government is stripping the community of its rights through legislative changes. Protests erupted after Friday prayers in several major cities, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Patna, Imphal, Jaipur, Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Bhopal. In Kolkata, hundreds of students from Aligarh University marched from the campus to Park Circus, carrying banners and placards denouncing the amendments.

One placard read, “Constitutional rights cannot be denied.”  Similar protests were held in Patna, Lucknow, and Jaipur, where Muslim leaders warned of intensified agitation if the law is not repealed. In Mumbai’s Byculla area, a silent protest was organized outside the Chishti Hindustani Masjid. Worshippers tied black bands around their arms during prayers as a mark of dissent.  

In Manipur, thousands of Muslims rallied across parts of Imphal, particularly in Mantripukhri and Hatta Golapati, demanding the immediate repeal of the Act and condemning the Modi government’s move. In Hyderabad, large-scale protests were held at the historic Mecca Masjid near Charminar, at Dargah Ujale Shah Mosque in Saeedabad, and at several other mosques. Protestors wore black armbands and carried placards calling for the withdrawal of the Waqf Act.

The protestors also criticized Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose parties supported the Waqf Bill in the Indian Parliament. A call was issued to boycott Heritage Foods, a company owned by Naidu’s family. In Telangana, demonstrations were held at Jamia Masjid in Darulshifa and in towns such as Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Mahabubnagar, and Warangal. 

In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, thousands took to the streets to voice opposition to the Waqf Amendment Act. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, passed by the Indian Parliament last week, became law after receiving presidential assent from Droupadi Murmu. Opposition parties and Muslim organisations have challenged the Act in the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear the petitions on April 16. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)