Congress backs AIMPLB’s Waqf agitation, vows full legal support: Shabbir Ali

Hyderabad: Congress leader and Telangana government advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Sunday declared full backing for the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in its campaign against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling the move a constitutional assault. Speaking at a round table conference titled “Save Waqf, Save Constitution Movement” in Hyderabad, Shabbir Ali said the Congress party would support every legal and democratic action to protect Waqf properties and minority rights.

Organised by the AIMPLB, the meet drew scholars, legal experts and activists from across the country. Shabbir Ali assured attendees that the Congress was aligned with the Board’s objectives and warned that the amended Waqf Act undermined not just Muslim institutions but the constitutional framework itself.

“The Board is not alone. Congress is with you whether it’s in court, on the streets or in the public sphere,” he said.

He pointed to Telangana’s early opposition to the law, citing a government-level meeting held on August 19, 2024, under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s leadership, which set the tone for resistance. “We took a stand before anyone else,” he said.

Congress, he said, is already engaged in a Supreme Court challenge and remains optimistic about securing a stay. “This is not just about land or law it’s about justice, and preserving constitutional guarantees for minorities,” Shabbir Ali told the gathering.

Recounting the Bill’s path through Parliament, he highlighted that the Lok Sabha passed it with 288 votes in favour and 232 against, while in the Rajya Sabha, it scraped through with 128 for and 95 against. “Nearly half of Parliament stood against it. That alone shows the lack of national consensus. Such a law demands full-party backing before it’s passed,” he said.

He urged mass mobilisation through grassroots coordination committees and advised the Board to engage directly with TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud for alignment with local Congress units. “Every district, every mandal, every colony must be active. Congress will stand with you at each step,” he assured.

Critics say the Waqf (Amendment) Act allows undue state interference in religious affairs and paves the way for non-Muslim members on Waqf Boards moves that could dilute community control.

Shabbir Ali ended with a broader appeal: “This fight is about more than one community. It’s about the soul of this country, its pluralism, and its constitutional spirit.”