New Delhi [India], March 23: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has announced a nationwide agitation against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, following a large and successful protest in Delhi on March 17.
In a statement issued by Mohd Vaquar Uddin Latifi, Office Secretary of AIMPLB, the board expressed its gratitude to Muslim organizations, civil society groups, and leaders from Dalit, Adivasi, OBC, and other minority communities who supported the Delhi demonstration. SQR Ilyas, spokesperson of AIMPLB and Convener of the Action Committee Against the Waqf Bill, thanked the opposition parties and Members of Parliament for their participation and strong rejection of the controversial bill.
The AIMPLB has formed a 31-member Action Committee, which has resolved to employ all constitutional, legal, and democratic means to oppose the bill, which it claims is “discriminatory and damaging.” As part of the first phase of the agitation, large-scale protest sit-ins are planned in Patna on March 26 and Vijayawada on March 29.
Ilyas expressed appreciation for the united efforts and support from various communities, stating that without it, the success of the Delhi protest would not have been possible. The protests aim to send a clear message to the BJP’s alliance partners, urging them to withdraw support for the bill, or risk losing the support of the Muslim community.
The AIMPLB has organized an extensive nationwide plan for its agitation, which includes rallies in major cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Malerkotla (Punjab), and Ranchi. The campaign will feature sit-ins, human chains, and social media drives, with special hashtag campaigns on X (formerly Twitter). Public conferences, seminars, and dharnas will be conducted at the district level, with memorandums to be submitted to the President of India through District Magistrates.
Ilyas emphasized that the protests were not only about opposing the bill but also about making a clear political statement. Invitations have been extended to political leaders from various opposition parties, including JD(U), RJD, Congress, LJP, TDP, YSR Congress, and left parties, to join the upcoming sit-ins.
The AIMPLB has made it clear that the protests will continue and will intensify across the country, as they aim to bring more attention to their cause and build widespread opposition to the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill.