Several socio-political activists and religious scholars in Jammu have condemned the BJP-led Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for rejecting all 44 amendments proposed by 15 opposition MPs to the Waqf Amendment Bill.
They described the move as a “war against Indian Muslims” and criticized the JPC for adopting a “dictatorial and undemocratic procedure.”
Shahid Saleem, chairman of the United Peace Alliance (UPA), accused the amendments’ rejection of being a strategy to seize Muslim lands and properties dedicated to the welfare of the community. He alleged that Muslims in India are being discriminated against and relegated to second-class citizenship.
Speakers at the press conference argued that the rejection of the amendments undermines the purpose of the JPC itself.
They said that Article 26 of the Indian Constitution guarantees religious groups the right to manage their institutions and properties, and allowing other religious groups to oversee the management of Waqf properties is a violation of this right.
The speakers also accused the BJP-RSS of undermining the constitutional framework by diluting the powers of the Waqf Board. They claimed that this move represents an attack on the rights of the Muslim community in India and could harm national peace and development.
The BJP’s actions were described as an anti-Muslim agenda driven by vote bank politics, which they warned could be dangerous for the unity and integrity of the country.
The press conference was addressed by various figures, including Safeer Chowdahry, Mir Shahid Saleem, Wali Mohammad Dar, Dr. Rajinder Thappa, Moulana Mudasir Jalali, Narinder Singh Khasa, and Yousuf Aijaz.
