Shabbir Ali Welcomes SC Relief In Waqf Amendment Act, Says Muslims Have Faith In Constitution

Hyderabad, April 17: Telangana Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Thursday welcomed the interim relief granted by the Supreme Court in the case challenging the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025.

Here To Join Us On WhatsApp

He addressed a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad, expressing hope that the apex court would ultimately strike down the “unconstitutional” law.

Shabbir Ali, one of the petitioners in the case, said that the Supreme Court’s directions had halted the Centre’s attempts to interfere with religious institutions. “The Modi government was trying to impose unconstitutional changes on Waqf institutions, but the Supreme Court has sought a reply within seven days and put key restrictions in place. We welcome this relief,” he said.

Here To Join Us On WhatsApp

The Supreme Court, while hearing a batch of 73 petitions including those filed by Indian Muslims for Civil Rights (IMCR), refused immediate stay on the Act but imposed three significant interim directions: the status of Waqf properties will not be altered until the Centre files its response, properties notified as Waqf will not be de-notified by any authority, and no new appointments will be made to the Waqf Boards or the Central Waqf Council until further orders.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice P. V. Sanjay Kumar, and Justice K. V. Viswanathan heard arguments from both sides.

Here To Join Us On WhatsApp

Shabbir Ali said senior advocate Kapil Sibal had argued the case on behalf of the petitioners, stressing that the Act violates constitutional guarantees given to religious minorities. “Waqf lands are not government lands. These are donations given by individuals for the benefit of poor Muslims, and they must remain protected. The Centre’s attempt to include non-Muslims in Waqf boards is illogical and dangerous,” he said.

He added that appointing members from other faiths to Waqf boards could create unnecessary conflict and was against the spirit of religious autonomy. “You cannot bring a law targeting only one community. If the government is serious about stopping land encroachments, let it make a common law applicable to all religious institutions,” he demanded.

Here To Join Us On WhatsApp

Shabbir Ali also cited the example of Telangana, where the Congress-led government had provided 4% reservation for Muslims, leading to notable progress among the community. “Telangana’s Muslims are doing better than their counterparts in other states. This is because of affirmative policies. But now, the BJP government at the Centre is trying to weaken Muslim institutions by forcefully amending the Waqf Act,” he said.

He warned that lakhs of acres of Waqf lands in Telangana and across India, which benefit not only Muslims but people from other religions as well, would be jeopardised if this law is implemented. “The fight is not just for legal rights but for the protection of our heritage. We trust the judiciary, and we hope the next hearing on May 5 will bring further relief,” he said.

Here To Join Us On WhatsApp

The IMCR chairman and former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb, who also addressed the media in Delhi after the hearing, termed the Act completely unconstitutional. He urged the government to restart scholarships for Muslim students through the Maulana Azad Foundation if it truly cared about the poor.

Shabbir Ali stated that Muslims have full faith in the Constitution and the judiciary. “We did not take to the streets. We went to the court, believing in the system. We will continue to resist this law through legal and democratic means,” he said. (Maxim News)

---

Next Story:

Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe.  Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates