Darul goes dark to protest waqf law,several houses switch off lights too
Agra: Responding to a nationwide call by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (
), several minority institutions, including
Darul Uloom Deoband
-- one of the largest Islamic seminaries in the country, along with many houses, madrassas and business establishments in UP turned off lights from 9pm to 9:15pm on Wednesday to oppose the newly amended waqf law.
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"The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 goes against the spirit of the Constitution of India. We're committed to resisting it and our opposition will continue," Darul Uloom VC, Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, said.
Muslim families, students, scholars and traders also participated. Major minority-dominated areas of Agra, Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh, Deoband and other towns and villages went dark for 15 minutes as part of the symbolic protest.
In Muzaffarnagar, Maulana Mohd Abdullah, imam of a prominent city mosque, said, "The reason we turned off the lights was to support the AIMPLB's decision to protest against the waqf law which makes the govt directly interfere in our religious matters. It was a silent protest, a historic moment, where thousands of residents took part."
A local scholar added that this amendment by the Centre was opposed not only by people of the minority community, but others who believe that the "law is unfair and unjust and is directly against the country's Constitution and its secular values".
In Agra, residents of localities such as Kheria Mod, Nai Ki Mandi, Itmad-ud-Daulah, Mantola and Tajganj saw a complete "blackout". Haji Aslam Qureshi, a local resident, said, "People from the minority community supported AIMPLB's call and turned off lights at their houses, shops and madrassas. This was witnessed across neighbourhoods here."
"The AIMPLB's message was taken seriously by people in both urban and rural parts of the state," added Mohd Rashid, a local from Aligarh.
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AIMPLB secretary Maulana Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani termed the protest a "success".
Agra: Responding to a nationwide call by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), several minority institutions, including Darul Uloom Deoband -- one of the largest Islamic seminaries in the country, along with many houses, madrassas and business establishments in UP turned off lights from 9pm to 9:15pm on Wednesday to oppose the newly amended waqf law.
"The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 goes against the spirit of the Constitution of India. We're committed to resisting it and our opposition will continue," Darul Uloom VC, Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, said.
Muslim families, students, scholars and traders also participated. Major minority-dominated areas of Agra, Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh, Deoband and other towns and villages went dark for 15 minutes as part of the symbolic protest.
In Muzaffarnagar, Maulana Mohd Abdullah, imam of a prominent city mosque, said, "The reason we turned off the lights was to support the AIMPLB's decision to protest against the waqf law which makes the govt directly interfere in our religious matters. It was a silent protest, a historic moment, where thousands of residents took part."
A local scholar added that this amendment by the Centre was opposed not only by people of the minority community, but others who believe that the "law is unfair and unjust and is directly against the country's Constitution and its secular values".
In Agra, residents of localities such as Kheria Mod, Nai Ki Mandi, Itmad-ud-Daulah, Mantola and Tajganj saw a complete "blackout". Haji Aslam Qureshi, a local resident, said, "People from the minority community supported AIMPLB's call and turned off lights at their houses, shops and madrassas. This was witnessed across neighbourhoods here."
"The AIMPLB's message was taken seriously by people in both urban and rural parts of the state," added Mohd Rashid, a local from Aligarh.
AIMPLB secretary Maulana Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani termed the protest a "success".
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