AIMPLB to resume its demonstrations against the Waqf Act
Advisor to the Telangana government for Minorities Welfare Mohammad Ali Shabbir on Sunday affirmed the Congress's commitment to opposing the Waqf Amendment Act, and suggested the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) meet his party president Mahesh Goud so that more coordinated demonstrations against the legislation could be organised.
Mr Shabbir was speaking at a round table conference organised by the AIMPLB 'Round Table Meeting on Save Waqf Save Constitution', where board members, faith leaders and legal experts spoke.
'The Congress is with you absolutely. We support all your decisions, legal battles, public awareness campaigns or demonstrations,' Mr Shabbir said.
He recalled that when the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025 was being debated in both houses of Parliament, a large number of members of Parliament cutting across party lines, including those affiliated to the INDIA alliance, had opposed the Bill. Describing this as a united, secular effort, Mr. Shabbir said that while 288 parliamentarians in the Lok Sabha were for the Bill, while an impressive 232 voted against it. Similarly, while 128 members of the Rajya Sabha voted for the Bill, 95 were vocal in their opposition to it.
The AIMPLB had suspended its demonstrations against the new waqf legislation in solidarity with the victims and the families of the Pahalgam terror attack. With a thaw in tension between India and Pakistan and the announcement of a ceasefire, the Board stated that it would resume its activities against the Act.
Members and speakers reiterated that protests and demonstrations would be organised within the confines of constitutional provisions and that they would remain peaceful. The Act, they said, would not only affect Muslims, but would also eventually be detrimental to endowments and liberties of people of other faiths.
A demonstration at Dharna Chowk is planned on June 1. Other forms of protest include a human chain in which members of other faiths were encouraged to participate.
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