AhlulBayt News Agency: Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at Indira Park in Hyderabad on Saturday for the ‘Telangana March’, a mass protest organized by the Telangana Muslim Joint Action Committee (JAC), voicing strong opposition to the newly introduced Waqf Amendment Act. Protesters claimed the legislation threatens the religious and cultural heritage of the Muslim community and pledged to mount a united resistance.
Mohammed Mushtaq Mallik, JAC convener and president of Tehreek Muslim Shabban, led the rally, describing the legislation as more dangerous than the previously controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
He appealed to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to maintain political neutrality and spearhead an independent challenge to what he labeled a "draconian law."
“Only an independent and credible platform can confront such unconstitutional moves and defend our community’s rights,” Mallik said. “This is not just about a single law, but about safeguarding the secular values enshrined in India’s Constitution.”
Political figures and civil society leaders also participated in the demonstration. Senior Congress leader and state government adviser Mohammed Ali Shabbir urged India’s Muslim community and secular organizations to prepare for a sustained campaign.
He recalled the historic role Muslims played in India’s freedom struggle and criticized regional leaders—such as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar’s Nitish Kumar—for backing the bill despite publicly upholding secular values.
The protest saw participation from prominent figures including former MP Aziz Pasha, ex-PCC president V. Hanumantha Rao, Telangana Jana Samiti president and Member of Legislative Council Prof. Kodandaram, Telangana Waqf Board chairman Syed Azmatullah Hussaini, Haj Committee chairman Khusro Pasha Biyabani, and MBT president Majeedullah Khan Farhat. Religious leaders from various denominations also expressed their support.
The protest reflects growing concern among India’s Muslim population about perceived erosions of minority rights under recent legislative measures, with activists vowing to intensify legal and civil resistance in the coming weeks.
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