Hyderabad: Congress has decided to hold a protest march ‘Waqf Bachao March-Chalo Hyderabad’ against the Waqf Amendment bill at Tank Bund on April 13.

In a joint press conference, Telangana Minority Finance Corporation chairman Obedullah Kothwal, party’s Assembly division in-charges Osman Al-Hajri (Karwan), Shaikh Akbar (Malakpet), PCC secretary, Mohd Saleem and others vehemently disagreed with the changes made. “We intend to stage a peaceful demonstration in a democratic manner against the Act’s implementation. The ‘Waqf Bachao March’ will highlight how this Act could result in Waqf losing most of its properties and enable unauthorised tenants to assert ownership through adverse occupation. We believe that Articles 25, 26, and 14 of the Indian Constitution would be violated by the new Act,” they pointed out.

The leaders further said that all of the Act’s changes were rejected by the Muslim community because they diminish the authority granted to the Central Waqf Council, Waqf Boards, Waqf Tribunals, and Waqf Survey Commissioners.

“Muslims lose their property, land, and places of worship as a result. The evidence points to greater government control, which could weaken the authority of Waqf boards. We believe it to be a violation of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom. In our distinctively multi-religious culture, this legislation is an attempt to undermine societal cohesion,” they added.