Bengaluru, 20 April

Undeterred by Sunday evening’s downpour, hundreds of civil society activists, students and Muslims gathered at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park to protest against the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
The protest, organised under the banner ‘Hum Samvidhan Ke Log’, is part of a growing national movement demanding the repeal of the law, which many deem unconstitutional.

"This isn’t reform — it’s a systematic erosion of minority rights," protester Maria Hussain told Salar News. "Today it’s Muslims. Tomorrow it’ll be Christians. Eventually, it could be Hindus. This Act threatens the plural soul of India," she said.

The amended law, now called Uniform Waqf Management, Empowerment and Endowment Development (UWMEED), is under fire for allegedly undermining the autonomy of Waqf institutions such as mosques, madrasas, graveyards, and dargahs. Activists claim it centralises control, bypasses community involvement, and ignores constitutional protections.

Vinay Srinivasan, a civil rights activist, pointed out that “lakhs of objections were submitted to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, yet none were accepted. This Act serves the Sangh Parivar, not the Muslim community.”

Activist Tanveer Ahmed admitted there are issues of corruption in some Waqf boards but added, “Cleaning is fine, but not by snatching community control.”

One of the biggest concerns is the removal of the “Waqf by user” clause, which historically protected religious sites based on long-standing public use. On 16 April, the Supreme Court questioned this provision, warning it could wipe out the status of many such properties.

The Supreme Courthas currently stayed new appointments under the Act and barred alterations to existing Waqf properties till 5 May. Protesters say their resistance will continue until the law is repealed. “We, the citizens, will not yield,” declared a representative from Hum Samvidhan Ke Log.