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Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
AIMPLB appeals for 'lights out' protest against new Waqf law
New Delhi, The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has appealed to the people of the country to switch off the lights of their homes, offices and businesses on Wednesday from 9 PM to 9:15 PM to protest the Waqf Act. In a statement, AIMPLB spokesperson SQR Ilyas said that the Board launched a nationwide movement on April 10 against the "discriminatory and constitutionally incompatible" amendments made to the Waqf Act. "As part of this campaign, various programmes are being organised across the country. So far, several large public meetings have been held in various cities, and roundtable meetings have been conducted with fellow citizens and civil society. "At the district level, protests, demonstrations and human chain programmes have also taken place," he said. On Wednesday, , 2025, from 9 PM to 9:15 PM, a nationwide "lights out" programme will be held, he said. As a mark of solidarity with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the Pahalgam terror attack, the AIMPLB had suspended its campaign against the "controversial amendments" to the Waqf Act for three days starting April 23. Ilyas said that while the "lights out" programme is symbolic in appearance, it will serve as a "powerful expression of protest by the country's Muslims and all justice-loving people, united against these dark amendments". The Muslim Personal Law Board appeals to all people to unite against the governmental "injustice and oppression" and to show solidarity by switching off the lights of their homes, shops, offices and business centres for just 15 minutes at 9:00 PM on April 30, the statement said. "We hope this small sacrifice will have an extraordinary impact. Try to ensure that no home, shop, or centre is left out of this campaign," Ilyas said.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Muslim Law Board resumes Waqf stir, calls for ‘Lights Off' protest
After a three-day break in solidarity with the victims of terror attack in Pahalgam, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board has resumed its Save Waqf campaign with a little twist. Instead of holding rallies and public protests like those seen in Patna, Hyderabad, Parbhani and Vijayawada, the Board has opted to hold closed door meetings and protests in stadiums and halls to avoid 'unrest' and 'disturbance' from unruly elements. Fearing violence, this form of limited protest 'to create awareness at the ground level' is likely to be confined to the States ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party. In States ruled by the Opposition parties which have opposed the amendments, the Board is likely to continue with its public rallies with mass participation. The Board has also called for a Batti Gul or Lights Off protest across the country. Beginning 9 p.m. on Wednesday, the Board has asked all citizens to switch off the lights for 15 minutes as a mark of protest against the new amendments to the Waqf Act. 'It is a unique protest. The idea is to involve all people. It is essential to communicate our feelings through silence,' said SQR Ilyas, spokesman of the Board. Peaceful protest The Board is going the extra mile in taking all precautions while protesting against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the States ruled by the BJP and its NDA allies. 'We do not want to give a handle to the State government to dub our protests as violent or unconstitutional. We do not want confrontation with any State government. We want our protest to be peaceful but heard in the corridors of power. We cannot keep quiet. We have to make sure the protests are not hijacked by anti-social elements. Whenever we feel the social and political atmosphere is not conducive for the Board, we will not hold any protest on the roads. We want to avoid all violence. We would rather do a conference to highlight our programmes and the way forward in the Save Waqf campaign like we did in New Delhi's Talkatora stadium recently,' said Mr. Ilyas. 'We want citizens of all religions to join the protest as it is to save the spirit of our Constitution and highlight the fact that the law is discriminatory and against the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution.' More public protests are likely to take place in Malegaon and Jamshedpur. 'We are holding public rallies, as in Parbhani and Malegaon in Maharashtra only if we feel the public is amenable to our way of thinking. Otherwise, we have opted for a limited protest or conference which includes serving a memorandum to the local authorities,' said Mr. Ilyas. Even as rallies and Batti Gul campaign goes on, the Waqf case is likely to come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on May 5.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Waqf law protest: AIMPLB changes campaign strategy for BJP-ruled states
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which has launched a nationwide campaign against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, has decided to stay cautious and adopt a different strategy in the states run by the BJP and its allies. The decision comes days after its massive 'Save Waqf, Save Constitution' public meeting, held with the support of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), in Hyderabad last Sunday. The meeting was attended by members of several political parties, including the Congress, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, YSR Congress Party and the DMK, besides thousands of people. The first phase of the Save Waqf campaign is scheduled to conclude on July 13 at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. Before that, the AIMPLB will hold programmes at state and district level to 'create awareness' about the new law and mount pressure on the government to repeal it. The Board has issued a set of guidelines to its units in states and districts regarding the format of the campaign and the precautions to be taken. The first guideline is to ensure that the programme is held 'peacefully in every situation'. 'The second guideline states that in states where the governments are non-cooperative and where the situation is not conducive for us, we don't have to hold any public rally and demonstration on the roads,' said SQR Ilyas, spokesperson, AIMPLB. The apprehension is that unwanted people could enter the rallies and programmes on the streets to create disturbances. 'Apprehension is also because there is strong resentment in the people after the passage of the Bill in Parliament,' he said. Ilyas confirmed that 'non-cooperative' state governments are states run by the BJP and its allies. He, however, said not all BJP-ruled states were expected to be 'non-cooperative'. In BJP and allies-ruled states, the board will hold indoor programmes — like the one conducted at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi last week — and will also organise round-table meetings, hall meetings and interactive sessions of smaller gatherings. On Sunday, a programme was scheduled in Parbhani in Maharashtra. Another guideline cautions the organisers to maintain calm if 'notorious elements' try to provoke them during the programme. The Board has directed that the programmes should not be attended by only Muslims; they should see participation of key faces from the other religious communities too who support the Board in its fight against the law. 'The message we are giving is that we are opposing this law because it is discriminatory and is against the constitutional fundamental rights,' the AIMPLB spokesperson said. In states with 'conducive atmosphere', they will organise public rallies and human chain formations too, said Ilyas. The Board will also send memoranda to the President with an appeal to repeal the Waqf law. It has given a call for holding a blackout protest — Batti Gul — at 9 pm on April 30, when lights will be turned off for 15 minutes in households and commercial establishments across the country. 'The organisers have been asked to stick to the guidelines issued by the AIMPLB,' Ilyas said. The Board had suspended the campaign for three days in view of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. It resumed it on Sunday, with an added directive to the participants to condemn the terror attack and pay tributes to those killed in it in every programme.
NDTV
24-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Muslim Law Board Condemns Pahalgam Terror Attack, Pauses Waqf Bill Protests
New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and decided to pause its ongoing protests against the new Waqf law for three days in solidarity with the families of victims. The terror attack at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and several injured. The AIMPLB has issued a condolence statement and decided to temporarily pause its ongoing protest programmes, a statement issued by the Muslim organisation said. As a mark of solidarity with the bereaved families, the Board has suspended its campaign against the "controversial amendments" to the Waqf Act for three days starting April 23, the statement said. SQR Ilyas, national convener of the Majlis-e-Amal for the protection of Waqf under the AIMPLB, said in a statement that the terrorist attack in Pahalgam is deeply tragic and strongly condemnable. Therefore, the Board has decided to suspend its protest programmes under the Waqf Protection Campaign for three days as an expression of mourning and sympathy for the victims' families. Ilyas issued a circular to the campaign's state and district conveners, instructing them to immediately pause all campaign activities for the three days. However, he clarified that the campaign will resume after this period.
News18
23-04-2025
- Politics
- News18
AIMPLB Temporarily Suspends Waqf Protests Due To Pahalgam Terror Attack
Agency: PTI The AIMPLB has issued a condolence statement and decided to temporarily pause its ongoing protest programmes. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and decided to pause its ongoing protests against the new Waqf law for three days in solidarity with the families of victims. The terror attack at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and several injured. The AIMPLB has issued a condolence statement and decided to temporarily pause its ongoing protest programmes, a statement issued by the Muslim organisation said. As a mark of solidarity with the bereaved families, the Board has suspended its campaign against the 'controversial amendments" to the Waqf Act for three days starting April 23, the statement said. SQR Ilyas, national convener of the Majlis-e-Amal for the protection of Waqf under the AIMPLB, said in a statement that the terrorist attack in Pahalgam is deeply tragic and strongly condemnable. Therefore, the Board has decided to suspend its protest programmes under the Waqf Protection Campaign for three days as an expression of mourning and sympathy for the victims' families. Ilyas issued a circular to the campaign's state and district conveners, instructing them to immediately pause all campaign activities for the three days. However, he clarified that the campaign will resume after this period. First Published: April 23, 2025, 20:47 IST
