Lucknow: Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, head of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, has called for a ban on Hindu nationalist organizations like the RSS, VHP, and Bajrang Dal, labeling them as threats to national peace and criticizing the government’s handling of the Waqf Board Amendment Bill.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan expressed his concerns at a gathering organized by the All India Mohammadi Mission in Lucknow. He described the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), and Bajrang Dal as terrorist organizations that should be prohibited to maintain peace in the country. “I openly state that Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal are also terrorist organizations and should be banned,” he asserted during the meeting.

The gathering also focused on opposition to the Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha in August, which has drawn criticism from various Muslim groups claiming it undermines the management and rights associated with Waqf properties. Maulana Raza Khan announced the initiation of ‘Waqf Virasat Bachao Tehreek’ (Save Waqf Heritage Movement), a campaign aimed at mobilizing the Muslim community against the bill.

Critics like Maulana Raza Khan argue that the amendment seeks to dilute Muslim control over Waqf properties, viewing it as an infringement on their religious and cultural heritage. Following extensive backlash, the bill has now been deferred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed examination.