New Delhi [India], March 29 (ANI): Congress MP Mohammad Jawed on Friday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central government over the Waqf Amendment Bill, alleging it was taking the country gradually towards civil war.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress MP said, 'They (JPC on Waqf Bill) spoke with everyone, but what was the need of non-stakeholders there? The talks were not even complete. It was an eyewash in an undemocratic way. When a neutral person watches this, they would find they have left the scope for dispute... The current Government wants to take this country gradually towards civil war...'

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) called on Muslims to wear black armbands as a mark of protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill while offering namaz on the occasion of Alvida Jumma drew a significant response. Several people were seen wearing the armbands while offering the Friday prayers in Lucknow, Hyderabad and other cities.

In Hyderabad, AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, a member of the JPC on the Waqf Bill, joined the symbolic protest wearing a black armband as he offered prayers on Friday.

Hundreds of people were seen wearing black armbands along with Owaisi while offering prayers. Ahead of the prayers, police personnel were also deployed in parts of the city to maintain peace in the region.

In Lucknow, joining the protest, AIMPLB member Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli, along with representatives of other Muslim organisations, wore the black armband.

'On the proposed Waqf amendment bill, AIMPLB and other muslim orgs had put forward their opinion to the (Joint Parliamentary) committee that the amendment is not agreed to by us. Waqf is a muslim matter and there should not be any changes to it so that waqf properties cannot be in the danger zone,' AIMPLB member Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli told ANI in Lucknow.

He claimed that they had objected to the proposed change to the Waqf Board to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, but their objections were not taken into consideration.

'We had pointed out that 90 cent of properties under Waqf are of Masjid, Dargahs, and cemeteries, but our points were not taken into consideration. On this issue AIMPLB has started a nationwide protest, appealing to all to wear a black band on the day of Jamat ul Vida, wear a black band in protest and read the namaz,' Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli added.

Earlier, on March 27, AIMPLB had appealed to Muslims to wear black armbands in protest on Alvida Juma, the last Friday of Ramzan.

Sharing a letter on X, AIMPLB stated, 'The strong protests by Muslims at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and Dharna Sthal in Patna have at least caused a stir among BJP's allied parties. Now, a massive protest is also scheduled to take place in Vijayawada on March 29, 2025.'

The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address key challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. (ANI)