AIMPLB and Asaduddin Owaisi protest the Waqf Bill, calling it unconstitutional and communal. Owaisi questions the government’s intent to fuel temple-mosque politics.

New Delhi: Massive protests erupted at Jantar Mantar on Monday as the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi led a joint demonstration against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, alleging it threatens the rights of Muslim institutions and religious endowments.

Addressing the crowd, Owaisi accused the Modi government of deliberately stoking temple–mosque disputes to distract people from pressing issues like unemployment and inflation. “The Prime Minister’s intention seems clear  keep the country fighting over Mandir and Masjid while governance takes a back seat,” he said, warning NDA allies not to back what he called a divisive and unconstitutional bill.

The protesters condemned the proposal to include non-Muslim representatives in Waqf boards, calling it a violation of minority autonomy. AIMPLB spokesperson SQR Ilyas said the draft Bill “undermines the very spirit of secular governance” and violates the constitutional right to manage community assets.

Opposition leaders including Syed Naseer Hussain, Salman Khurshid, and Awadhesh Prasad joined the rally, describing the Bill as “a veiled attempt to seize Waqf properties”. The Joint Parliamentary Committee’s 655-page report, adopted largely along party lines, has also come under fire for allegedly reflecting only BJP viewpoints.

Analysis:
The Waqf Bill controversy raises uncomfortable questions for the government  is it reforming or redefining minority rights? Critics argue that instead of strengthening accountability, the amendments could erode trust and inflame communal divisions. In a time when India needs policies that unify, many fear this Bill may deepen the very divides it claims to regulate.