Bhatkal: In a strong show of dissent against the recently enacted controversial Waqf law by the BJP-led central government, a significant meeting was held at Rabita Hall in Bhatkal, organized by the century-old social body Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, the largest Muslim organization in Uttara Kannada. The gathering brought together Muslim leaders from all three coastal districts of Karnataka—Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada—as well as representatives from Goa. The participants unanimously resolved to hold region-wide protest demonstrations demanding the immediate repeal of the new Waqf Act.
Expressing serious concerns, speakers at the meeting described the law as anti-Muslim and warned that it posed a grave threat to the autonomy and future of Waqf properties across the country. They emphasized the urgent need for unity among Muslims in the coastal belt to resist not only this legislation but also other "black laws" being introduced by the central government.
A key resolution passed during the session called for peaceful protest demonstrations on Friday, April 18, immediately after Jumma prayers in various parts of the Uttara Kannada district. During these protests, memorandums addressed to the President and Prime Minister of India will be submitted through local Tehsildars. The meeting also decided to launch a comprehensive public awareness campaign to educate people about the far-reaching consequences of the new Waqf law.
Speakers underlined the importance of involving secular-minded non-Muslims in the movement, drawing parallels with the mass protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), where people across communities had united to oppose what they saw as discriminatory policies.
The meeting began with an introductory address by Maulana Ilyas Jakati Nadvi, an active member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), who elaborated on the Board’s ongoing nationwide campaign against the Waqf law. Advocate M.K. Maitri, a senior High Court lawyer from Bengaluru, delivered a comprehensive presentation highlighting the potential legal challenges and dangers posed by the new legislation.
Inayatullah Shabandri, President of Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, presided over the session. Notable attendees included Atiqur Rahman Muniri (Vice President of Tanzeem, Member of AIMPLB, and General Secretary of Rabita Society), Abdul Raqeeb M.J. Nadvi (General Secretary of Tanzeem), Ashraf Beary (former Mangaluru Mayor and Congress leader), Mohiuddin Bava (former MLA), Mohammad Maula (Udupi Muslim Okkoota), Maulana Khwaja Akrami Madani, Maulana Ansar Khateeb Madani, Maulana Abdul Aleem Qasmi, Maulana Maqbool Kobatte Nadvi, Advocate Imran Lanka (Bhatkal), Mufti Sulaiman Rahmatullah Khan Mazhari Nadvi, Mansoor Mandlik, Nasir Khan, F.D. Shaikh (Karwar), Mufti Fayyaz Qasmi (District President, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind), Abdul Manan (District Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind), Dr. Mehboob (Sirsi), Taufiq Beary (District President, SDPI), Hussain Hekkadi (Secretary, Namma Nadu Okkoota, Udupi), Maulana Amanullah Umri (Banavasi), Munaf Mirjankar (Mundgod), Mohsin Qazi, Akbar Mulla, Nazir Khan (Kumta), Azad Annegeri (Honnavar), Abdul Kareem and Nawaz (Ankola), Abdul Aleem Basrikatti, Rafiq Sheikh, and Rizwan (Haliyal), along with several other delegates from Goa, Siddapur, Murdeshwar, Manki, and nearby areas.
The attendees appreciated the initiative taken by Tanzeem to unite Muslim representatives from Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and neighboring state Goa on a single platform. They also proposed the formation of a unified Coastal Belt Muslim Coordination Committee, assuring full cooperation and support for the movement.