Amid the ongoing debate over the status of Waqf properties and the rights of the Muslim community in the country, Maulana Muhammad Sajid Rashidi, President of the All India Imam Association, termed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 as historic and attacked the Congress Party and the Mamata Banerjee government. He said that this bill is a revolutionary step towards protecting the rights of Muslims.
Maulana Rashidi clearly said that the Congress Party used Muslims only as a vote bank in the last 70 years. Congress did not make any concrete policy for the protection of education, health, employment or religious properties of Muslims.
Citing the example of 250 bighas of Waqf land in Delhi, he said that the Congress governments, after occupying that land, neither returned it to the Muslims nor used it for education or health services. On the contrary, this land was handed over to builders and leaders close to them. This is not just about Delhi — occupation and scams of Waqf properties have been common in states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan, which expose the policy and intentions of the Congress.
Attacking Mamata Banerjee, he said that when she (Mamata Banerjee) said that the Waqf law will not be implemented in Bengal, it became clear that Muslim interests are only a vote bank for her. Despite her statement, why did Muslims come out on the streets? Why did the protests take place? Why was lathicharge and a case registered against Muslim protesters in Bengal? — This is shameful. If this law is for the welfare of Muslims, then why oppose it?
Referring to the Sachar Committee, Ranganath Mishra Report and other study reports, he said that all these exposed the poor condition of Muslims, but the Congress never implemented those recommendations. At the same time, today the Modi government has paved the way for Waqf reform based on the principles of transparency, e-governance and accountability.
Maulana Rashidi said, “Now the Muslims have awakened. Now we do not have to limit our children only to madrassas, but they have to get access to mainstream education, technical skills and administrative services. For this, it is necessary that our properties, especially Waqf properties, are safe and useful.”
He further said, “We appeal to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji to see the Muslim community as a ‘reserve force’ – a force that stands shoulder to shoulder with the nation, which wants development, not hatred.”
Maulana appealed to the Muslim community and said that now they have to focus on the work of the leaders and not on their words. “Who builds schools for our children? Who protects our land? Who secures our records on digital platforms? These are the real questions.”
He also said that the Waqf Amendment Bill is not just a symbol of the welfare of Muslims, but of transparency and accountability of the entire society. In such a situation, any party which opposes it is not only against the interests of the Muslim community but is also standing against progress and justice. Mohammad Kamal Khan and Rafia Naz, Tariq Imran and others were present on the occasion.