India: Muslims Oppose Waqf Amendment Bill in Amritsar

Muslims in India’s Amritsar have voiced strong opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, claiming it interferes with their religious affairs, The Tribune reported yesterday.

During a press conference at Khairuddin Masjid, Maulana Mufti Muhammad Khalil Qasmi, state president of Jamiat-e-Ulma Hind, stated that such interference “will not be tolerated at any cost.” He accused the Central Government of targeting minorities and undermining their religious rights.

Protests erupted as community leaders emphasized that the properties managed by the Waqf are ancestral gifts meant to support mosques, madrassas, and community welfare. Mufti Yusuf Qasmi highlighted the inconsistency of allowing non-Muslims in Waqf committees, asserting that no Muslim seeks representation in the religious committees of other faiths. The community plans to send memorandums to the President opposing the bill.