A disturbing video has surfaced on social media showing Hindu right wing members preventing an elderly Muslim man from entering Maharashtra’s Malegaon city to sell goods. This incident is the latest act of hostility towards Muslim businessmen and vendors in this region, reportedly linked to ongoing agitation surrounding the Waqf Amendment Bill.
The video that came to light on Thursday, September 26, vividly shows the elderly man, burdened with his goods, being confronted and harassed by a mob that forces him to vacate the area.
This confrontation is indicative of escalating communal tensions as Hindutva leaders have openly called for economic boycotts against Muslims in response to their protests against the proposed Waqf Bill which Muslims feel that it poses a threat to their freedoms and properties.
Waqf Amendment Bill
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the first significant piece of legislation introduced by the Modi 3.0 government, has sparked considerable controversy among Muslim organisations and the Opposition.
Waqf refers to property dedicated exclusively to religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law. Once declared Waqf, the property cannot be revoked. The Bill’s amendments aim to address this issue.
The Bill, which seeks to streamline the registration process of Waqf properties via a central portal, was presented in the Parliament. It also proposes renaming the Waqf Act of 1995 as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act.
In response to the bill, many Muslim organizations and leaders including members of the Lok Sabha, Asaduddin Owaisi opposed the bill as they see it as the main threat to the Muslim religion and culture.
To protest in favour of the government’s decision, some Hindutva groups began enforcing a boycott against Muslim vendors, claiming that such measures were justified to show their strong support for the implementation Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
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