'An excuse to incite riots': Shahzad Poonawalla slams Muslim personal law board's protest against Waqf Amendment Bill

NEW DELHI: BJP National Spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla criticized the All India Muslim Personal Law Board for their protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on March 17.
He accused political parties like Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, and AIMIM of using Waqf as an excuse to incite riots and run vote bank politics in the country.

Poonawalla expressed strong opposition to the AIMPLB's planned protest against the bill.
"Waqf is an excuse; inciting riots in the country, setting fire, running a vote bank shop, this is their only story. Be it organisations like AIMPLB or its political masters supporting it, Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM. They are constantly trying to incite Muslim citizens in the name of Waqf," Poonawalla told ANI.
The BJP spokesperson questioned the special rights given to Waqf properties compared to other religious communities.

"I want to ask whether the Constitution has given rights like Waqf to the Jain community and the Christian community. Why should there be unlimited power to usurp Waqf? Sometimes Parliament, sometimes Maha Kumbh, sometimes it takes over farmers' land and Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM will not say anything on this," he stated.
The AIMPLB has organized a protest at Jantar Mantar against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
AIMPLB spokesperson Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas alleged that the government's intention behind the bill was to create divisions between Hindus and Muslims.
"There have been continuous protests happening in various places, and press conferences are being held. We were supposed to hold a protest on March 13, but that day is Holi. On that day, the MPs will not be able to attend. Therefore, now we will hold a massive protest at Jantar Mantar on 17th March 2025," Ilyas explained.
The protest was initially planned for March 13 but was rescheduled due to Holi celebrations.