Members of the Muslim community in Udupi staged a human chain protest on Friday against the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, urging the Union government to withdraw the recent amendments, following a nationwide call by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
Organised jointly by Udupi Jamia Masjid and Udupi Anjuman Masjid, the demonstration drew a large crowd of participants who gathered after Friday namaz to express their strong opposition to the new law.
Protesters holding placards with messages such as “Defend Waqf, Defend Deen,” “Stop Politicising Waqf,” and “India Rejects Waqf Amendment Act” formed human chains near Jamia Masjid and Anjuman Masjid in Udupi.
Similar demonstrations were also organised in Brahmagiri, Nayar Kere, Kolambe, Nejar, and Hoode, reflecting widespread dissent against the amendment.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed at amending the Waqf Act, 1995, was passed by both houses of Parliament after heated debates.
In the Rajya Sabha, the bill was passed with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it. It was passed in the Lok Sabha early on Thursday, with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
The Act has sparked widespread protests across India, driven by concerns from Muslim communities and opposition groups who view it as discriminatory and an infringement on religious rights.
Opposition parties and Muslim groups have criticised the Act, calling it unconstitutional and discriminatory towards Muslims.
Many believe that the amendments violate the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board asserting that the changes reflect the government’s intent to take full control over Waqf administration, effectively sidelining the Muslim minority from managing their own religious endowments.
Several petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Petitioners include political parties such as the Congress, AIMIM, IUML, DMK, CPI, CPM, Aam Aadmi Party, YSRCP, and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief and actor Vijay, along with organisations like the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, and the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR).
