Maharashtra: Thousands of people gathered at the G.S. Ground in Jalgaon on Monday to protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, a law that several Muslim organisations across India have denounced as a “black law” and an assault on the community’s autonomy.
The demonstration, organised by the Tahaffuz Awqaf Committee Jalgaon (Waqf Bachao Samiti), was held under the banner of a “Jail Bharo Andolan,” a mass voluntary arrest movement inspired by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) nationwide campaign plan.
Organisers said Jalgaon became the first district in the country to hold a full-scale Jail Bharo protest after the police denied permission for a similar agitation proposed by the AIMPLB at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 12.
The day’s events began with a two-hour sit-in protest. Police later detained around 2,000 participants, who were taken to the Jilha Peth Police Station and released in the evening.
“We voluntarily submitted ourselves to the police as part of the Jail Bharo Morcha,” said organiser Farooq Shaikh. “Over two thousand people joined — not just Muslims, but individuals from all communities and political backgrounds who believe in justice, equality, and the Constitution. This is a nationwide movement, and we are proud that Jalgaon led the way with a peaceful and successful protest. Our message to the government is clear — we will not accept this unconstitutional law under any circumstances.”
A delegation led by Mufti Khalid, president of the Tahaffuz Awqaf Committee, met Additional Collector Shrimant Harkar and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India. The memorandum outlined five major demands: the immediate repeal of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025; an end to central government control over Waqf properties; the establishment of independent and transparent Waqf Boards managed by the community; strict action against encroachments and illegal transfers of Waqf land, including those by influential figures within the community; and an extension of the e-registration deadline for mosques, madrasas, and dargahs on the UMEED Portal, currently set for December 5.
“This law interferes not only with our faith but also with our right to self-govern our institutions,” Mufti Khalid told Maktoob. “Our ancestors chose to stay in India after Partition because they believed in justice and equality. This movement is to protect that promise — faith, the Constitution, and justice together.” He added that the amendment violates constitutional guarantees under Articles 25 to 30.
The protest drew support from several political and social organisations, including the Bahujan Kranti Morcha, NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). VBA district president Shameebha Bhanudas Patil endorsed the five demands and described the amendment as “a product of Manuwadi and Sanghadi ideology aimed at restricting the social and economic independence of Muslims.”
Pratibha Shinde of the NCP termed the amendment “anti-constitutional” and said it “strikes at the heart of India’s secular fabric.”
“When Partition tore the subcontinent apart, only one community was asked to choose — and Muslims chose this land, their homeland,” Shinde said. “They are Indians by choice, not by chance. This law insults that choice, and we stand firmly with the Muslim community in defending their constitutional rights.”
Speakers at the protest underlined that Waqf properties play a vital role in community welfare, funding not only mosques and madrasas but also schools, hospitals, and colleges that serve poor and marginalised groups, especially in North Maharashtra, Nandurbar, and Jalgaon. “When control tightens on Waqf lands, it isn’t just property that’s taken — it’s the lifeline that funds education for our children,” an organiser said.
“The Jalgaon protest was just the beginning,” Shaikh added. “If this law is not repealed, we will escalate our agitation — first road blockades, then rail blockades, and, if needed, an indefinite hunger strike. This struggle will not stop until justice is restored.”
After their release, protesters gathered again for a collective prayer led by Mufti Khalid. “We are the inheritors of a faith that believes in justice,” he said. “Our resistance will remain lawful, peaceful, and unwavering.”