Muslim religious leaders, unions, and Jamaats have strongly opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 proposed by the BJP-led NDA government, arguing that it undermines the welfare of the Muslim community. A joint protest meeting was organized under the Loukika Rajyanga Parirakshana Vedika (Secular Constitution Protection Forum) at the Makineni Basava Punnaiah Vignana Kendram (MBVK) in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada, where several prominent figures spoke out against the bill.
V. Srinivas Rao, the CPM state secretary, alleged that the amendment was part of a broader strategy by the BJP, RSS, and other right-wing groups led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to suppress Muslim rights. He compared the approach to a “divide-and-rule” tactic reminiscent of British colonial rule. K. Rama Krishna, the AP CPI state secretary, further criticized the bill, claiming it posed a significant threat to the Muslim community and called on other political leaders, including NDA allies like Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, to oppose it, as he considered it an attack on India’s secular foundations.
The bill was also criticized for attempting to polarize voters and for potentially reducing Muslims to a second-class status to win electoral support among Hindus. Former MP Vadde Sobanadreeswara Rao and ex-Congress MLA Masthan Vali were among the leaders present, adding their voices to the demand for the repeal of the bill.
The opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill highlights growing concerns among the Muslim community and its allies about its implications for religious freedom and the preservation of secularism in India.
