Fri Mar 28 20:44:00 UTC 2025: ## Nationwide Silent Protest Marks Muslim Opposition to Waqf Bill
**New Delhi, March 29, 2025** – A significant show of peaceful protest unfolded across India on Friday, as Muslim devotees wore black armbands during the Jumatul Vida prayers. The demonstration, organized by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), aimed to express opposition to the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
The initiative saw widespread participation in major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Sambhal. In many mosques, imams used the Friday sermon to highlight concerns about the bill’s potential negative impact on the Muslim community. While some imams remained silent on the issue, the response from worshippers was described as “overwhelming” by AIMPLB spokesman S.Y.R. Ilyas.
The protest, a follow-up to earlier multi-party dharnas and online campaigns, underscores the Board’s sustained efforts to leverage constitutional and democratic means to oppose the bill, which it considers “controversial, discriminatory and damaging.” The Board’s earlier online campaign saw over 1.2 crore emails sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee expressing similar concerns. The RJD’s support in Patna further bolstered the movement.
The black armband, a simple yet powerful symbol of dissent, was adopted by many across the country, demonstrating widespread concern within the Muslim community about the potential impact of the proposed legislation on their assets. Despite local warnings in Sambhal regarding Eid namaz on pavements, the armband protest garnered significant participation. All protests concluded peacefully.
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