The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has declared its intent to challenge the newly tabled Waqf Amendment Bill in court, calling the legislation a “black law” that endangers the rights of the Muslim community. The bill, currently under debate in the Lok Sabha and slated for further discussion in the Rajya Sabha if passed, proposes sweeping changes to the management of Waqf properties.
At a press conference held in New Delhi, AIMPLB member Md Adeeb accused the government of attempting to seize Muslim properties by diluting the traditional control exercised by the community over its charitable endowments. “They have started this spectacle thinking they can take away our property. Can this be accepted? Do not think that we are defeated,” Adeeb said, stressing that the fight against the bill is only just beginning.
AIMPLB spokesperson Mohammad Ali Mohsin reiterated the board’s commitment to both legal action and public protest. “We will go to court. We will not rest until this law is withdrawn,” Mohsin asserted, adding that the board plans to organize nationwide demonstrations modeled on the farmers’ agitation if the bill is enacted.
The controversial amendment seeks to modify the 1995 Act governing Waqf properties by introducing non-Muslim members to the Central Waqf Council and state boards, as well as by empowering government officials to adjudicate property disputes. Proponents of the bill argue that these measures are aimed at curbing corruption and improving the management of Waqf properties. However, AIMPLB and other critics contend that the changes undermine the constitutional principles of religious freedom, equality, and justice—principles enshrined in Articles 14, 25, and 26 of the Indian Constitution.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, have also lambasted the legislation, accusing the government of rushing the bill through Parliament without adequately addressing concerns raised by dissenting voices.
As the debate unfolds in Parliament, AIMPLB is calling on all secular and non-communal political parties, as well as conscientious MPs, to reject the bill and uphold India’s secular fabric.
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