HYDERABAD: Advisor to the Telangana Government and senior Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Thursday welcomed the interim relief granted by the Supreme Court in the case challenging the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025.
Speaking at a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Shabbir Ali expressed confidence that the apex court would eventually strike down what he called an “unconstitutional” law. He stated that the court’s interim directions had temporarily halted the Centre’s attempts to interfere in religious institutions.
Shabbir Ali, who is among the petitioners in the case, said the Supreme Court had acted decisively by issuing three key restrictions while refusing to grant an immediate stay on the Act. “The Modi government was trying to impose unconstitutional changes on Waqf institutions, but the court has now asked the Centre to respond within seven days. We welcome this relief,” he said.
The Supreme Court, while hearing a batch of 73 petitions including one filed by Indian Muslims for Civil Rights (IMCR), ruled that the status of Waqf properties must not be altered until the Centre responds. It also directed that no Waqf property should be de-notified, and no new appointments should be made to Waqf Boards or the Central Waqf Council until further orders.
The bench comprised Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice P. V. Sanjay Kumar, and Justice K. V. Viswanathan. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared on behalf of the petitioners, arguing that the Act undermines constitutional protections granted to religious minorities.
“Waqf lands are not government lands. They are charitable endowments made by individuals to serve poor Muslims. The Centre’s attempt to include non-Muslims on Waqf Boards is not only illogical but dangerous,” said Shabbir Ali.
He further warned that appointing individuals from other faiths to Waqf institutions could trigger unnecessary conflict and infringe upon the principle of religious autonomy. “If the government is serious about preventing land encroachments, it should introduce uniform laws for all religious institutions, not target a single community,” he added.
Shabbir Ali cited Telangana’s 4% Muslim reservation policy under the Congress-led government as an example of inclusive development. “Muslims in Telangana are progressing due to affirmative action. But the BJP government at the Centre is trying to undermine our institutions through forced legal changes,” he alleged.
He cautioned that lakhs of acres of Waqf land across Telangana and India—which serve not only Muslims but also members of other communities—would be at risk if the new law were implemented. “This is about protecting our legal rights and cultural heritage. We have faith in the judiciary, and we expect more relief in the next hearing on May 5,” he said.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and IMCR chairman Mohammad Adeeb also addressed the media in Delhi following the hearing. He called the Waqf Amendment Act entirely unconstitutional and urged the government to revive educational scholarships for Muslim students under the Maulana Azad Foundation if it genuinely cared about the marginalised.
Shabbir Ali concluded by saying that the Muslim community continues to place its trust in the Constitution and judiciary. “We did not resort to street protests. We took legal recourse, and we will continue to resist this Act through constitutional and democratic means,” he said.
