Students stage protest against Waqf Amendment Bill at Jamia Millia Islamia

New Delhi: Security was heightened at Jamia Millia Islamia on Friday as students staged a protest against the recently passed Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament.Led by the All India Students Union Association (AISA) and other student organisations, the demonstration took place near Gate 7, where students condemned the bill, calling it "unconstitutional" and "communal".Tensions escalated as the university administration initially locked down the entrance to the campus, restricting movement in and out, but later reopened the gates allegedly following student pressure.Protesters delivered speeches criticising the bill and symbolically burnt a copy of it during the protest. They were seen holding placards and posters carrying messages like "You cannot erase our history, Waqf will stay" and "Waqf Amendment Bill is discriminatory and unjust"."In a shameful display of authoritarianism, the Jamia administration locked down the campus, preventing students from protesting. Despite these suppressive tactics, the students of Jamia remain unshaken. We will continue to resist and fight against the communal and unconstitutional bill," AISA said in a statement.Meanwhile, the RSS affiliated students' wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), welcomed the decision to pass the Waqf Amendment Bill by both houses of Parliament. "The Waqf Amendment Bill passed by both the houses of Parliament is essential for ensuring fairness in Bharat's overall development. Various disputes and challenges have arisen concerning the previous Waqf law, which will now be addressed fairly through this bill. The call for integration of non-Muslims and women in the Waqf council will make it even more impartial," ABVP's national general secretary Virendra Solanki said. The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 has paved way for modifying the Waqf Act, 1995 that regulated the Waqf properties across the country. It aims to address challenges in regulation and management of such properties. New Delhi: Security was heightened at Jamia Millia Islamia on Friday as students staged a protest against the recently passed Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament.Led by the All India Students Union Association (AISA) and other student organisations, the demonstration took place near Gate 7, where students condemned the bill, calling it "unconstitutional" and "communal".Tensions escalated as the university administration initially locked down the entrance to the campus, restricting movement in and out, but later reopened the gates allegedly following student pressure.Protesters delivered speeches criticising the bill and symbolically burnt a copy of it during the protest. They were seen holding placards and posters carrying messages like "You cannot erase our history, Waqf will stay" and "Waqf Amendment Bill is discriminatory and unjust"."In a shameful display of authoritarianism, the Jamia administration locked down the campus, preventing students from protesting. Despite these suppressive tactics, the students of Jamia remain unshaken. We will continue to resist and fight against the communal and unconstitutional bill," AISA said in a statement.Meanwhile, the RSS affiliated students' wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), welcomed the decision to pass the Waqf Amendment Bill by both houses of Parliament. "The Waqf Amendment Bill passed by both the houses of Parliament is essential for ensuring fairness in Bharat's overall development. Various disputes and challenges have arisen concerning the previous Waqf law, which will now be addressed fairly through this bill. The call for integration of non-Muslims and women in the Waqf council will make it even more impartial," ABVP's national general secretary Virendra Solanki said. The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 has paved way for modifying the Waqf Act, 1995 that regulated the Waqf properties across the country. It aims to address challenges in regulation and management of such properties.