Muslim MPs and worshippers showed their disapproval of the Waqf Bill by wearing black armbands during Jumma prayers.

As Juma-tul-Vida, the last Friday of Ramadan, arrived, millions of Muslims across India participated in a peaceful protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had urged Muslims to wear black armbands while attending Jumma prayers as a way to express their dissent towards the bill.

Many prominent Muslim figures, including MPs and MLAs, were seen sporting black armbands while praying in mosques. AIMPLB leaders such as Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Maulana Fazlurraheem Mujaddidi, Syed Sadatullah Hussaini, and Maulana Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani also joined the protest by wearing the armbands.

Not only in New Delhi, but the protest also spread to other cities like Patna, where a large number of Muslims wore black armbands while attending Jumma prayers. Social media was also abuzz with pictures of Muslims sporting the armband, as directed by AIMPLB, with the hashtag "India Against Waqf Bill."

The AIMPLB has demanded the government to immediately withdraw the unconstitutional Waqf Amendment Bill and has announced a nationwide agitation against it. In the first phase of the protest, large sit-ins are planned in front of state assemblies in Patna and Vijayawada on March 26 and 29, respectively.

The protest against the Waqf Bill has gained momentum in Bihar, with political parties showing solidarity with AIMPLB. In Patna, a "maha dharna" was organized by AIMPLB, just a kilometer away from the Vidhan Sabha premises. The protest aimed to urge Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other secular leaders to reconsider their support for the controversial legislation.

The AIMPLB's Action Committee, consisting of 31 members, has resolved to use all constitutional, legal, and democratic means to oppose the bill, which they deem discriminatory and damaging. Major rallies are scheduled to be held in cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Malerkotla, and Ranchi.

The bill, which was introduced in Parliament by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and referred to a joint committee last year, has faced strong criticism. The opposition members have submitted dissent notes, and the joint committee has recommended several amendments to the proposed legislation.

Despite the mounting opposition, there is speculation that the bill may be brought for passage in Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session. However, the AIMPLB remains determined in their fight against the bill, which they believe will harm the interests of the Waqf boards. The joint committee's report, containing the suggested amendments, has been submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30.

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