Waqf Amendment Bill violates Constitution, says AIMPLB

Time of India

28-04-2025

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Members of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (
AIMPLB
) said on Monday that the newly introduced
Waqf Amendment Bill
were contradictory to Articles 14, 25, 26, and 30 of the Constitution.
They said the amendments were discriminatory and infringed upon fundamental rights of Muslims.
The meeting was attended by some prominent figures of AIMPLB such as Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Maulana Fazal ur Rahman Mujaddi, Dr Qasun Rasul Ilyas, Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi, Maulana Yaseen Usmani Badayuni, Maulana Moizuddin Qasmi, and Maulana Ilyas Khan Falahi.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the board stated that the ruling BJP, using its numerical strength, passed arbitrary and discriminatory amendments to the Waqf Act against the will of crores of Muslims, minorities, and justice-loving citizens. "We totally reject these amendments, which trample upon the constitutional and fundamental rights of the country's largest minority," the statement read.
The board asserted that the amendments violate the fundamental rights under Articles 25 and 26, which guarantee freedom of conscience, the right to practise and propagate religion, and the right to establish and manage institutions for religious and charitable purposes. The new provisions, they said, prevent Muslims from managing their religious Waqfs independently and expose the govt's intent to control Waqf administration.
Further, AIMPLB pointed out that the amendment requiring a waqif (endower) to be a practising Muslim for five years contradicts Articles 14 and 26 of the Constitution and Islamic Shariah principles. "These amendments are discriminatory and deny Muslims the rights and protections afforded to Waqf properties of other religious communities like Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists," the board stated.
The board mentioned that despite making oral and written representations to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and the efforts of around five crore Muslims who sent emails opposing the changes, the amendments were passed in violation of parliamentary and democratic norms.
AIMPLB has now challenged the amendments in the Supreme Court and announced a three-month-long peaceful protest movement across the country. "Our state committee has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure the movement remains within the constitutional and legal framework," the board added. |