One of the first complaints against the ordinance was made by Hyderabad MP and AIMIM head Asaduddin Owaisi, who claimed that it “manifestly arbitrary, perpetuates discrimination on grounds of religion.”
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) are holding a major protest meeting against the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, at AIMIM’s headquarters, Darussalam, in Hyderabad.
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, among the first to file petitions against the Act, called it “manifestly arbitrary” and discriminatory, arguing it violates the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, and strips Muslims of their right to manage religious institutions. He stated that the Act deviates from protecting Muslim community rights under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, weakens Waqf safeguards, increases state control over Waqf administration, and discriminates against Muslims by targeting their religious endowments, violating Articles 14 and 15.
Owaisi highlighted that the requirement for a person to be a practicing Muslim for five years to create a Waqf contradicts Sections 3 and 4 of the Shariat Act and undermines Articles 14, 15, and 300A, as it unfairly restricts recent converts from managing their property for religious purposes.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court delayed its interim ruling on the petitions challenging the Act until May 5, 2025, after the Centre requested time to file a defense affidavit. The Centre assured that, until the next hearing, it would not appoint non-Muslims to Waqf boards or alter Waqf properties’ status.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioners, argued that the Act violates Article 26, which ensures the right to manage religious affairs, by interfering with core aspects of the faith. Article 26 is limited only by public order, morality, and health.
In West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, a Congress delegation led by state unit president Subhankar Sarkar will visit riot-hit Shamsherganj on Saturday at around 2 PM to assess the situation. Joined by Malda Dakshin MP Isha Khan Choudhury, AICC observer Amba Prasad, and other leaders, Sarkar plans to visit other violence-affected areas like Suti, Dhulian, and Jangipur. The clashes, which killed three people, erupted in these Muslim-majority areas amid protests against the Waqf Act amendments, forcing many residents to flee to temporary camps in Malda district.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited a refugee camp housing displaced residents from Murshidabad, promising “proactive action” to address their concerns.
