UP: Yogi government served notice for protesting against Waqf law
#News Bureau April 6,2025
Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district have issued notices to 300 people who protested against the Waqf Act. The action came after these people expressed their dissatisfaction against the bill by wearing black bands in mosques during Friday prayers. A police official gave this information on Sunday, 6 April 2025. Every protester has been asked to deposit a bond of Rs 2 lakh. The incident took place after the Waqf (Amendment) Bill passed by Parliament recently, which has sparked a debate across the country. According to the police, the people who have been issued notices had tied black bands on their arms during Friday prayers in various mosques in Muzaffarnagar. The protest was against the Waqf Act, which was approved by Parliament on the morning of 4 April 2025. The bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha after more than 13 hours of debate. The protesters were identified on the basis of CCTV footage, after which the action began
All the named persons have been summoned to appear in court on April 16, 2025, and each will have to deposit a bail bond of Rs 2 lakh. Those who have been issued notices include Madrasa Mahmoodiya principal Naeem Tyagi, who did not wear a black band.
The move has caused uneasiness in several Muslim-dominated districts, including Lucknow, Sambhal, Meerut, Moradabad, Amroha, Rampur, Aligarh, Agra, Bareilly, Firozabad and Shamli. In view of the rising tension, the administration has deployed heavy security and issued an alert.
The Muzaffarnagar police has issued notices to such protesters and directed them to deposit a bond of Rs 2 lakh. The police say that this step has been taken with the aim of maintaining peace and ensuring law and order. Regarding the manner of protest, the police say that it was an organized effort, which was taken seriously.
The main reason for this protest in Muzaffarnagar is dissatisfaction over the changes in the Waqf Act. The protesters believe that the law allows non-Muslims to manage waqf properties and gives more control to the government, which could affect their religious autonomy. Wearing black bands was a symbolic protest through which they expressed their views on the issue of religious autonomy.
Muzaffarnagar authorities took the protest seriously and immediately launched action. The protesters were identified through CCTV footage and notices were issued to them. Police say the move was necessary to maintain law and order. The notice asks the protesters to ensure that they do not engage in such activities in future, and for this it has been made mandatory to deposit a bond of Rs 2 lakh.
The incident has given rise to widespread debate at the political and social level. Opposition parties, especially the Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), have targeted the government over the bill. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has challenged it in the Supreme Court, arguing that the bill is an attack on the Waqf system, which is an integral part of the practice of Islam. At the same time, the government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) say that the bill is in the interest of poor Muslims, women and weaker sections of society.
Tension is also being seen at the local level regarding this incident in Muzaffarnagar. Some people are considering it an attack on freedom of expression, while others see it as a violation of the law. The Muzaffarnagar incident raises questions about the government’s intentions. Even peaceful protest against religious freedom, government policies or law will now be considered illegal. The legal and social impact of this case may deepen in the coming days, especially when it is being challenged in the Supreme Court. The government is trampling the fundamental rights of the Constitution at every step.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 was introduced in Parliament by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. The government claims that the bill has been brought to bring transparency in the management of Waqf properties, remove complexities and promote technology-based management. The bill was passed by a vote of 288-232 in the Lok Sabha and 128-95 in the Rajya Sabha. However, the opposition has termed it an attack on the rights of the Muslim community and is preparing to challenge it in the Supreme Court. Apart from Owaisi, petitions of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan have reached the Supreme Court so far.
