Kolkata: Muslim organisations, led by the West Bengal State Jamiat-i-Ulama, voiced their strong opposition to the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill and reiterated their support for a free Palestinian State.
The protest by Jamiat-i-Ulama at Esplanade drew large crowds from across the city. Addressing the gathering, Siddiqullah Chowdhury, the organisation’s president and a minister in the West Bengal government, condemned the bill, describing it as an attack on the Constitution and the rights of Muslims. “The Waqf Amendment Bill is an attempt to rob Muslims of their rights and destroy Waqf properties. Any tampering with the Constitution will be met with strong protests,” he asserted.
Chowdhury accused the Central government of dividing the nation along religious lines and called for a united resistance to counter such efforts.
Khobayeb Amin, representing the Basirhat Dargah Sharif, urged Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee to take a firm stand against the bill in Parliament. “We are ready to march to Delhi and protest alongside you,” he declared, reflecting the growing determination among Muslim organisations to oppose the bill. Notably, the government has temporarily shelved the Waqf Amendment Bill, but calls to scrap it entirely remain strong among Muslim leaders, who see it as a potential tool for future political exploitation.
