In yet another display of its alignment with radical Islamist interests, the Congress party has once again thrown its weight behind the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in its opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The Muslim body, which has a history of resisting reforms that could ensure transparency and accountability in Waqf properties, has announced a nationwide agitation against the proposed changes, further solidifying Congress’s image as a political entity prioritising appeasement over national interest.
On March 23, AIMPLB declared a full-scale movement against the bill, vowing to use all “constitutional, legal, and democratic means” to thwart what it labelled a “controversial, discriminatory, and damaging” piece of legislation. Buoyed by the success of its recent demonstration in Delhi, the organisation has now planned large-scale sit-in protests across the country, beginning with Patna (Bihar) on March 26 and Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) on March 29.
AIMPLB’s statement confirmed that several senior leaders from Congress and its allied parties, JD(U), RJD, and Lok Janshakti Party in Bihar, as well as the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), YSR Congress, and left parties in Andhra Pradesh, have been invited to participate in these demonstrations.
The Congress party, which has a long history of pandering to communal vote banks, has been at the forefront of this protest, further raising questions about its ideological resemblance to the pre-Partition Muslim League.
This development comes at a time when the Narendra Modi-led central government is attempting to introduce much-needed reforms to streamline Waqf properties and ensure proper management.
However, AIMPLB and its political backers, including the Congress, have chosen to resist these changes, arguing that they infringe upon minority rights, an argument eerily similar to the pre-Partition rhetoric that sought separate legal frameworks for Muslims.
Notably, AIMPLB’s nationwide agitation is not limited to sit-ins. The organisation has announced plans to conduct rallies in major cities, including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Malerkotla (Punjab), and Ranchi. Additionally, social media campaigns will be launched, and memorandums will be submitted to the President through District Magistrates, as part of a coordinated effort to stall the bill’s progress.
AIMPLB spokesperson S.Q.R. Ilyas extended his gratitude to “civil society groups and leaders from Dalit, Adivasi, OBC, and other minority communities” for their support in the recent Delhi demonstration, further exposing the Congress-led ecosystem that aims to keep communal politics alive. This strategic collaboration between the Congress party and an Islamist organisation raises significant concerns about the grand old party’s real political motivations.
The Congress’ role in aiding and abetting this opposition to much-needed reforms highlights its continued reliance on the politics of appeasement. As the nation watches, it becomes increasingly evident that Congress, in its desperation to regain lost electoral ground, is walking the same path as the Muslim League, a path that once led to the tragic division of the country in 1947.
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