Thousands of Muslims have taken to the streets in India to protest the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing the government of interfering with religious property and demanding the bill’s repeal.
India’s streets were filled with protests on Friday, April 4, as Muslims across the country voiced their opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill. The protests erupted in cities such as Kolkata, Chennai, and Ahmedabad, where demonstrators burned effigies and held up placards reading, “We do not accept the Waqf Amendment” and “Withdraw the Waqf Bill.”
The protests gained momentum after the Friday Jummah prayers, with thousands of people, including senior citizens, taking part in the demonstrations. In Kolkata, the turnout was particularly large, while in Ahmedabad, police clashed with protesters, forcibly removing senior citizens who were sitting in protest.
In Chennai, the political party Tamil Nadu Vetrikazha Katchi (TVK), led by actor Vijay, called for statewide protests against the bill. The protests spread to other major cities like Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli, where demonstrators chanted slogans such as, “Withdraw the Waqf Bill” and “Do not take away Muslims’ rights.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, of the Trinamool Congress, pledged to protect the rights of Muslims in Bengal, stating that she would not allow any infringement on their rights. The Congress Party, the main opposition to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has also strongly opposed the bill, accusing the BJP of engaging in divisive politics.
The Waqf Amendment Bill passed in the Lok Sabha and later in the Rajya Sabha, with a majority vote of 128-95. The bill proposes to include non-Muslim members in Waqf boards, which manage religious, educational, and welfare properties donated by the Muslim community. The government claims the amendment will increase transparency, but critics argue it undermines the autonomy of the Muslim community over its religious properties.
LND/BG
