New Delhi: On a call from AIMPLB to protest against Waqf (Amendment) Bill, large numbers of people, including more than a dozen parliamentarians, religious leaders and social activists gathered at Jantar Mantar here today. Students, activists and protestors registered their protest while holding placards in their hands with various message against the Bill during protest.
During the protest, Office Bearers and leaders of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, religious and social Muslim organisations, prominent activists of civil society organisations, prominent Dalit, Adivasi and OBC leaders and leaders of Opposition parties, including AAP, AIMIM, CPI, CPI(ML), CPM, Congress, IUML, NCP, SP, TMC, BJD and WPI participated and strongly rejected the Bill.
Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, President of AIMPLB said today is the beginning of the nationwide protest against Waqf Bill and similar protests will be organised across India. He urged all communities and like-minded people to join hands to fight for it and oppose it strongly on streets and in Parliament.
Addressing the gathering, Syed Sadatullah Husaini, President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said, “It is now clear that this Bill is direct interference in religious and constitutional rights and therefore this Bill is anti-constitutional and against basic values of our country and also against the idea of India. Therefore, it’s the responsibility of every citizen to oppose this Bill strongly. The rights given in the Waqf is similar to the rights given to every other religious endowment but today only the rights given to Waqf is taken away which is against the Constitution. The media should also bring this fact to the people of the country; all religions enjoy rights but selectively only the rights of Muslims are snatched away.”
Maulana Mahmood Madani, General Secretary of JUH, “The Present government is trying to destroy the idea of India envisaged by our forefathers in the constitution. Through Waqf Amendment Bill they are trying to bulldoze the constitution. This protest is the beginning and if the beginning is so impactful, we can visualize its end. He urges all communities to fight it together as it’s not an issue of Waqf but to protect our constitutional rights and religious freedom as well.”
MP Asaduddin Owaisi said the motive behind the Waqf Bill is to destroy the peace and communal harmony in the country, divide Hindus and Muslims, and disturb the social fabric of the country and instigate people to fight in the name of Mandir and Masjid. The Bill does not aim at strengthening Waqf properties but it aims to snatch away properties from Muslims. Owaisi warned TDP, RJD and Paswan that Muslims will never forgive them if they help the Waqf Bill to get passed.
Shia leader Kalbe Jawad said it’s not Waqf Bill but a hole of snake and it has been designed to harm the Muslim community and we will fight against it till the end.
MP Dharmendra Yadav said his party will fight against the Bill till the last breadth. We will sacrifice if needed but will not allow this Bill to pass in Parliament.
Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid reminded that it is long battle and have to fight in the parliament and also in judiciary. Hope the message from the protest will reach those who say they are protecting constitution and they should be reminded of the diversity of this country and it is not fight of one but of all and together we will have to fight.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra, while addressing the gathering, said, “Our leader Mamta Banerjee and our MP in JPC have strongly opposed it from day one and will continue to do so. We have protested against it in Bengal and will never allow the government to pass it and will fight on streets and in the parliament. The government is trying to disenfranchise the Muslims and we will not allow it to happen.”
Members of Parliament Azeez Pasha, Abu Tahir, KC Basheer, Raja Ram Singh, Dr Fauzia, Mohibullah (BJD), Dipankar Bhattacharjee Belaramji of Bharatiya Bahujan Alliance, Hannan Mullah, Imran Masood, Mohammad Jawed, Gaurav Gogoi, Harish, Abdul Wahab, Awadhesh Prasad, Pappu Yadav, and Naseer Hussain as well as Prof. Jagmohan Singh of Sikh Personal Law Board, Dhananjay (Students Union JNU), and many others addressed the gathering. All of them rejected the Bill, strongly opposing it and expressing solidarity with AIMPLB and extending their support in its fight against the Bill.
