Patna, India: A massive protest, organized by India’s Imarat-e-Shariah, a leading Muslim group, was held in Patna on Sunday against the recently amended Waqf Act. The demonstration, which saw the participation of numerous prominent political figures, including Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Parliament (MPs), highlights growing concern among India’s Muslim community over legislation they believe specifically targets their properties.
The protestors argue that the latest bill, which they see as an attempt to marginalize Muslims, further exposes New Delhi’s overt bias against Indian Muslims, a recurring theme under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Opposition Leader in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, and Member of Lok Sabha, Pappu Yadav, were among the notable political figures who joined the protest. Tejashwi Yadav, addressing the gathering, stated that the opposition had vocally opposed the “anti-Muslim” bill in both houses of parliament and vowed to continue fighting against what he termed Modi’s “divisive politics.”
The protestors, estimated to be in the tens of thousands, branded the bill as a “gimmick by Modi to win votes” ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections, expected to be held in October or November of this year.
The amended Waqf Act, which passed in both houses of Parliament earlier this year despite strong opposition, is seen by critics as granting the government excessive control over Waqf properties and undermining community autonomy. More than 70 petitions challenging the new law have been filed in the Supreme Court, which has imposed an interim stay on its implementation. Muslim clerics, legal scholars, and social activists at the rally appealed to the Supreme Court to strike down the law, terming it “unconstitutional and discriminatory.”
