Huge protest in Hyderabad against Waqf Amendment Act

Hyderabad, April 13 (IANS) Thousands of people hit the streets in Hyderabad on Sunday in the biggest protest in the city so far against the Waqf Amendment Act.

Terming the Act as ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘discriminatory’, the protestors demanded that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre withdraw it.

Numerous women, youth and students participated in Waqf Bachao March organised by the Congress.

The rally began at Nizam College Grounds and culminated at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue at Tank Bund in the heart of the city.

The protestors, many of them carrying the national flag, raised slogans against the NDA government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing them of targeting Muslims by conspiring to snatch Waqf properties.

The protestors were carrying banners and placards with slogans like ‘Save Waqf, Wave Nation’, ‘We reject Waqf Act’, ‘Our Waqf our right’, and ‘Repeal Waqf Act’.

Congress MP Imran Masood, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud, Telangana government advisor and former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir and Muslim leaders of the Congress party addressed the rally.

Cutting across party lines, people from various parts of the city and neighbouring districts participated in the protest, the biggest in the city so far.

The protestors were raising slogans ‘We want justice’ , ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Tanashahi Nahi Chalegi’.

Many protestors were carrying black flags and wearing black T-shirts with the slogan ‘We reject Waqf Act’.

The procession passed through Basheerbagh Junction and Liberty Junction before reaching Ambedkar Statue. Police had made tight security arrangements for the procession, which passed off peacefully.

Earlier, Imram Masood addressed a meeting organised by the All India Milli Council Telangana and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

AIMPLB president Moulana Khalid Saifullah Rehmani presided over the meeting.

The city witnessed protests at several places after Friday prayers. More protests are scheduled later this week.

AIMPLB will be holding a public meeting at Darussalam, the headquarters of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on April 19.

AIMIM president and Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi and leaders of AIMPLB and several other organisations will address the public meeting.

Owaisi told the media on Sunday that they have invited MPs who were part of Parliament committee on Waqf Bill.

--IANS

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