"Not a Hindu-Muslim issue but an issue of justice": Bonai Hasni

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 5 (ANI): Bonai Hasni, General Secretary of the All India Ulama Board (AIUB), on Saturday voiced serious concern over the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, warning of its potential to undermine justice for all citizens in the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, AIUB General Secretary Hasni condemned the provisions of the bill, calling it deeply concerning. He said, "As you are aware, there has been a lot of uproar in the country over the recently proposed amendment bill. This is a matter of concern not only for Indian Muslims but for all the citizens of India who care for justice. They are deeply worried about such a law, which some may call a black law or a jungle law, and some may say it is even more dangerous."
Hasni raised serious concerns over the bill's provisions, which permit a government official to unilaterally claim that a property belongs to the government.
He explained, "One of the issues is that any government official can claim that a property belongs to the government. In such a case, the decision regarding the claim will be made by another government official, so the decision will always favor the government employee."
"However, the alarming part is that this decision cannot be challenged in any court, whether it is the High Court or the Supreme Court. There has never been a law like this before in the world," he added.
The General Secretary also expressed concerns about the implications for religious places.
"This means that any mosque, Eidgah, madrassa, imambara, or any religious place can be declared as government property, and there will be no legal recourse to challenge it," Hasni warned.
He emphasised that the law's impact would not be limited to Muslims. "This is not only a matter for Muslims. Today, it is Muslims who are being affected, but tomorrow it could happen to Sikhs, and the day after it could be the turn of Hindus as well. When there is no justice in a country, one community is targeted first, and once they are silenced, the next group can be targeted."
Hasni further stressed that this was not a Hindu-Muslim issue but rather a broader matter of justice. "This is not a Hindu-Muslim issue; this is an issue of justice. It is a matter of fairness," he said.
He also took issue with the manner in which the bill was passed, noting that it was rushed through Parliament in a late-night session. "The bill that was brought to Parliament was debated overnight, and it is an unfortunate coincidence that in the last ten years, black laws have been passed during the night. This bill was passed in such a manner," he added.
Expressing appreciation for lawmakers who opposed the bill, Hasni extended gratitude, especially to the eight MPs from Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) faction. He said, "We would like to express our gratitude to the parliamentarians who opposed this bill, especially the eight members from Uddhav Saheb Thackeray's party, who raised their voices against this unjust bill in Parliament," Hasni said.
He further said, "We are grateful to them and to the leadership of Uddhav Saheb Thackeray, and we hope that in the future, he and his party will always stand with the oppressed, with minorities, and with those who seek justice."
Hasni concluded by thanking those who had contributed to halting the passage of the bill. "We thank them for their efforts in halting the passing of this oppressive law. All Indian Muslims and justice-loving individuals across the country appreciate their hard work," he stated.
Meanwhile, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament earlier this week. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed marathon debates on the bill. The bill was opposed by parties in the INDIA bloc. (ANI)