Thousands gathered on the streets of Kolkata, Chennai, and Ahmedabad Friday – after weekly prayers by the Muslim community – to protest the Waqf Amendment Bill passed by Parliament this week. Visuals from the Bengal capital showed a large crowd waving the national flag and carrying posters proclaiming ‘we reject Waqf amendment’ and ‘Reject Waqf Bill’ gathering at public meeting sites. Many of the protests, news agency said, were organised by the Joint Forum for Waqf Protection
Visuals of the protests from Ahmedabad suggested a more charged atmosphere; a video shared by news agency showed police trying to forcibly remove elderly demonstrators squatting on the road. Police detained the chief of the state unit of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeem, or AIMIM, and 40 of its members.
The Tamil actor-politician – seen increasingly as a dark horse before next year’s Assembly election – called the Waqf Bill “anti-democratic” and said its passage asks questions of India’s secular foundation. There was also tension in Lucknow. Ashish Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Lucknow) said, “We have asked everyone to make an opinion only after reading the whole bill and we are monitoring social media constantly…”
The protests in Bengal will add to the fire brewing ahead of next year’s election, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having already said she will not allow the state’s Muslims to lose their lands. The changes to the Waqf laws – which govern how Muslim charitable properties are governed – were cleared by Parliament after nearly 20 hours of MPs trading fiery speeches; those from opposition called it “anti-Muslim” while those from the treasury benches hailed the “historic reform”.
These and many other concerns raised by Muslims and the opposition, including fears the centre will take over the Waqf boards, were dismissed by Mr Rijiju as he tabled the Waqf Bill in Parliament. He insisted non-Muslims could not now interfere in Waqf Board affairs, as its management, creation, and beneficiaries would remain exclusively from the Muslim community.
The debates on the Waqf bill saw fierce jabs and bitter rhetoric from both sides. Congress MP Sonia Gandhi called it a “brazen assault” on the Constitution and accused the BJP of seeking to keep society in a state of “permanent polarisation”.