HYDERABAD: In a powerful and coordinated act of dissent, Muslim households and business owners across India observed a 15-minute symbolic blackout on Wednesday night in protest against the Waqf Amendment Act. The protest, which lasted from 9:00 PM to 9:15 PM, was called by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and received widespread participation from the community.
The gesture of switching off lights served as a peaceful expression of dissatisfaction with the recent amendments to the Waqf Act. Muslim scholars and leaders have voiced concern that the changes curtail the autonomy of Waqf Boards and open the door to increased encroachment and state interference in Waqf properties, which traditionally support religious, charitable, and educational causes in the Muslim community.
In Hyderabad, the protest saw particularly strong participation in the Old City. Commercial areas surrounding Charminar—typically teeming with shoppers, vendors, and tourists—fell dark for 15 minutes as shopkeepers, hawkers, and even tea stall operators voluntarily switched off lights in solidarity.
Similar blackouts were observed in other parts of the city, including Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, Malakpet, Yakutpura, and Bahadurpura. There were no reports of disturbances or coercion, with all participation being voluntary and peaceful.
The symbolic protest was not confined to Hyderabad. Reports of similar observances came from major cities such as Lucknow, Bhopal, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata. In Uttar Pradesh, towns like Deoband, Bareilly, and Rampur also took part, with clerics from leading Islamic seminaries criticising the Waqf amendments during public addresses and sermons held earlier in the day.
The AIMPLB, which led the call for protest, emphasised that the action was intended to be dignified and non-disruptive. The Board warned that the amended legislation undermines the foundational purpose of Waqf institutions. Speaking to the press, AIMPLB office-bearers highlighted the community’s broad support for the blackout as evidence of widespread concern and urged the central government to reconsider the amendments.
“This was not a political movement but a moral appeal to safeguard religious freedom and community resources,” said one board member.
Community leaders in Hyderabad praised the disciplined nature of the protest and stressed the need to follow up with legal and democratic actions to preserve Waqf properties.
The recently passed Waqf Amendment Act has come under fire for reportedly centralising power in the hands of state-appointed administrators, effectively sidelining elected Waqf Boards. Critics claim the law lacks adequate safeguards against mismanagement and alienation of Waqf lands.
Wednesday night’s blackout has emerged as one of the most significant symbolic protests by the Muslim community in recent memory and may signal the beginning of a broader national campaign to defend Waqf assets.