All India Muslim Personal Law Board Announces Nationwide Protest Plan Against Waqf Amendment Act
New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has released its roadmap for the second phase of the ongoing “Tahaffuz-e-Auqaf” (Protection of Waqf) Campaign, in opposition to the recently passed Waqf Amendment Act 2025. The campaign will run from September 1 to November 30, 2025, with a series of protests, public awareness drives, and legal outreach activities across the country.
Key Highlights of the Protest Plan:
Friday Sermons & Special Prayers – September 19 (Friday):
Imams across the country will deliver sermons during Friday prayers on the importance of waqf properties and the concerns raised by the new amendment. Special prayers will also be held for the protection and restoration of waqf assets.
Protest Sit-ins (Dharnas):
- AIMPLB’s central leadership will hold a sit-in at Jantar Mantar, Delhi on September 24.
- Similar protests will take place outside state assemblies, organized by state conveners.
- Protesters will carry placards with slogans and display banners explaining — in bullet points — why the Waqf Amendment Act 2025 is being opposed (in English, Hindi, and Urdu).
- The Delhi protest will last 2–3 hours, followed by voluntary arrests.
Voluntary Shutdown – September 26 (Friday):
From 8 AM to 2 PM, Muslims across the country are requested to close their businesses and offices as a peaceful protest. Medical stores will remain open.
Awareness Booklets:
Booklets titled “Why We Reject the Waqf Amendment Act 2025” will be published in English, Hindi, and Urdu by the central board. Translations will be prepared in various regional languages by state conveners.
Press Conferences:
Two types of press conferences will be organized in Delhi and every state capital:
- By members of the Personal Law Board.
- Joint press meets involving civil society members, minority leaders, and other faith communities.
Roundtable Meetings with Non-Muslim Citizens:
State-level teams will host roundtable meetings in major cities with the general public, political leaders, civil society activists, and representatives of other minorities to explain the concerns surrounding the amendment.
Interfaith Dialogue:
Joint discussions will be held with leaders of various religious communities on the broader issue of protecting religious and charitable institutions’ properties, regardless of faith.
Media Engagement:
- Opinion pieces titled “Why We Reject the Waqf Amendment Act” will be published in newspapers across India in English, Hindi, Urdu, and regional languages.
- Letters to the Editor will be sent to newspapers on a large scale.
- Where possible, full-page newspaper ads will also be published.
Weekly Social Media Videos:
Every week, a 15-minute video clip will be posted on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram, featuring speeches by AIMPLB members and state leaders.
Efforts will be made to include content in Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Punjabi, Kannada, Malayalam, and Tamil, professionally produced and region-specific.
Mass Protest Rally – November 16 at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi:
A massive protest gathering is scheduled for November 16 at Ramlila Ground in Delhi, with a target of lakhs of attendees from across India. Leaders from the Muslim community, as well as civil society, political circles, and minority groups, will address the gathering.
Silent Protest Marches:
- Peaceful marches covering 3–5 kilometers will be held in Delhi and state capitals.
- In Delhi, the march will go toward the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- In states, marches will be held to the Governor’s residence.
- Marches will include placards, pre-approved slogans, and end with submitting memorandums to the President and Governors.
The dates for these marches will be decided after the interim judgment of the Supreme Court on the matter.
Delegation Visits to Chief Ministers – October 16:
Delegations comprising Board members and Muslim organization leaders will meet Chief Ministers in each state and submit formal memorandums opposing the amendment.
Letter from Board President to Waqf Stakeholders:
A letter from the AIMPLB President will be sent to all mutawallis (waqf caretakers) and state waqf board chairpersons. Board members and volunteers will ensure these letters reach every local waqf authority.
Waqf Property Documentation Drive – Nov 1 to 8:
A state-wide campaign will be conducted to verify and document waqf properties.
- Waqf Desks will be set up in each city to assist mutawallis in verifying documents.
- Legal experts and trained volunteers will help identify gaps and guide caretakers.
- A training workshop for volunteers will be held in Delhi on September 29, followed by regional workshops in each state.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board says this protest plan is aimed at peacefully defending waqf properties, promoting awareness, and resisting laws that it believes weaken the autonomy and sanctity of Islamic charitable institutions.
