‘Discriminatory': Muslim body in Gujarat to launch month-long state-wide protests against Waqf Act
Calling the Waqf Act 'discriminatory' and 'a scheme to encroach on Muslim Waqf properties', the Gujarat Muslim Hit Rakshak Samiti on Monday announced to launch month-long state-wide protests against the Waqf Act in Ahmedabad starting Tuesday.
The members of the Gujarat Muslim Hit Rakshak Samiti — an umbrella body of different organisations of the community in state — alleged that the Gujarat government is attempting to 'suppress their peaceful protests by denying them permission' to do so unlike other states.
'The state committee Monday discussed the issue of Waqf Act… (it) is completely discriminatory, violates the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution of India and is a scheme to encroach on Muslim Waqf properties. The committee has prepared a state-wide programme. We will launch the protest in the form of a 'silent human chain' on Tuesday evening near Nehru Bridge in Ahmedabad, with men on one side and women on one other, holding placards,' Ahmedabad Jamaat-e-Islami Hind president Iqbal Mirza said while addressing the media on Monday.
Stressing on denial of permissions for peaceful protests across the state, Mirza, who is in the administrative body of the Samiti said, 'We are still awaiting permission for Tuesday's silent protest. If denied, we will submit our representations to the city police commissioner and DGP. Recently we were denied permission for similar peaceful protests in Himmatnagar and Dholka. Peaceful protests are allowed in many states but not in Gujarat. If these attempts of suppressing our voice will continue we will move the Gujarat High Court.'
Sharing details about the protests, Mirza said, 'We have chalked out plans for peaceful protests… dharna in bigger cities, switching off all lights for 30 minutes, press conferences in 50 cities starting from Ahmedabad today (Monday) and Vadodara Tuesday…even Jail Bharo Andolan.'
The Gujarat Muslim Hit Rakshak Samiti alleged that the ruling party 'used its power to pass arbitrary and discriminatory amendments to the Waqf Act against the wishes of crores of Muslims, other minorities and non-Muslims'.
'We completely reject these amendments, as they not only violate the fundamental rights of the largest minority community in the country but also reveal the malicious intentions of the government to gain complete control over the management and establishment of Waqf. These amendments have deprived the Muslim community, in the country, of the freedom to freely practice their religious beliefs,' the association said in a statement.
'Several religious and community organisations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, and Muslim intellectuals made oral and written submissions to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) constituted by the Parliament. Five crore Muslims in the country completely opposed these amendments by sending emails to the JPC Committee. However, these representations were ignored. Now, as a last resort, we have taken this matter to the Supreme Court,' Muhammad Tahir M Hakim, who is member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, added.
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