From protests to petitions, the backlash against the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025 is rapidly gaining ground in Telangana. What began as isolated voices of opposition from various political and social outfits has now transformed into a coordinated, state-wide campaign cutting across political lines. With the ruling Congress as well as the opposition BRS, along with the AIMIM, and the MBT all taking strong positions against the law, Telangana has become a loud centre of resistance to the amended legislation.
A massive public meeting in Hyderabad was organised under the banner of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board recently, where leaders from multiple parties shared the dais to demand withdrawal of the new Act. In his speech, Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, termed the Waqf Act a 'black law’ and warned that it could lead to large-scale encroachment of mosques and graveyards across India.
He said that the law was unconstitutional and an assault on the religious rights of Muslims.
Former home minister and senior BRS leader Mohammed Mahmood Ali, who also addressed the gathering, urged the Muslim leaders to take support of secular Hindus to back their cause.
He questioned the controversial clause that allows people from other faiths to be appointed to the Waqf Board. Ali said the BRS had opposed the amendments in Parliament and would continue to resist the implementation of the law in Telangana.
From the ruling side, senior Congress leader and Telangana Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir led a large protest rally in Nizamabad and announced that he had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Act. Speaking to a crowd of thousands, Shabbir called the law unconstitutional and warned that it would disempower Muslims socially, economically, and religiously.
“This is an organised attempt to take away our heritage. The BJP is not reforming Waqf, it is trying to capture it,” Shabbir said. He said that he was following the directions of Congress high command and Telangana leadership led by CM Revanth Reddy.
Other parties and organisations with similar stand are also preparing to take their protests to the streets. The Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), along with a broad coalition under the All Party JAC (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh), is gearing up for a major mobilisation. A protest dubbed the ‘Telangana March to Rollback of Waqf Amendment Act’ is scheduled for April 26 at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad. Leaders from MBT, Congress, BRS, CPI, and other groups are expected to participate in the programme.
