NEW DELHI: A conference organized by the Indian Muslims for Civil Rights (IMCR) in New Delhi strongly denounced the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, labeling it as a planned attempt to seize Waqf properties and a broader threat to the rights of minority groups across India.
Held at the Ghalib Institute in the Indian capital, the event united parliamentarians, legal experts, and community representatives from across the country in their opposition to the bill.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh addressing the gathering described the bill as a threat not only to Muslim properties but also to those of other minority communities, including Sikhs, Buddhists, and Hindus. Singh called for a collective struggle against the bill, warning that failure to unite could result in further encroachments on minority properties.
Congress MP Naseer Hussain reaffirmed his party’s commitment to opposing the bill. He emphasized the need for a unified, secular front in this battle and urged Muslim organizations and communities to counter the misinformation surrounding the bill.
Maulana Fazlur Raheem Mujaddidi, General Secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, labeled the bill as a systematic attempt to dispossess Muslims of their Waqf properties and exacerbate their marginalization. Former Indian Minister K. Rahman Khan echoed these concerns, framing the bill as part of a decade-long conspiracy against the Muslim community.
Former MP and IMCR Chairman Mohammad Adeeb committed to presenting any resolutions from the conference to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), while Supreme Court lawyer Mahmood Pracha called for street protests and increased community engagement.
Dr. Zafar Mahmood of the Zakat Foundation of India highlighted that approximately 900,000 acres of Waqf properties are under threat, noting that properties belonging to other religions are not similarly targeted, which he argued points to the bill’s discriminatory nature.
The conference concluded with a call for intensified efforts against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. Participants pledged to continue their advocacy within the parliamentary framework and through public mobilization to safeguard the rights and properties of all minority communities in India.
The event saw contributions from various leaders, including social activist Syeda Hameed, Lakshadweep MP Hamdullah Saeed, Samajwadi Party MPs Ziaur Rahman Barq and Mohibullah Nadvi, former IAS officer Haseeb Ahmed, and Jamaat-e-Islami’s Inamur Rahman, Javed Iqbal, and Sajid Peerwala.
