New Delhi: Protests have erupted across India as Muslim communities voiced their opposition to the newly enacted Waqf (Amendment) Act. Demonstrators in several major cities accused the Modi-led BJP government of infringing upon their rights through the legislation.

Following Friday prayers, cities including Mumbai, Kolkata, Patna, Imphal, Jaipur, Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Bhopal witnessed significant protests. In Kolkata, students from Aligarh University marched to Park Circus with banners denouncing the amendments, one reading, “Constitutional rights cannot be denied.”

Similar protests unfolded in Patna, Lucknow, and Jaipur. Muslim leaders in these cities warned that agitation would intensify if the law is not repealed.

Mumbai’s Byculla area saw a silent protest outside the Chishti Hindustani Masjid, where worshippers wore black armbands during prayers to signal their dissent.

In Manipur, thousands gathered in Imphal, notably in Mantripukhri and Hatta Golapati, calling for the Act’s immediate repeal and condemning the government’s actions.

Hyderabad also experienced large-scale demonstrations at the historic Mecca Masjid and other mosques. Protestors criticized the support of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the Waqf Bill. A boycott of Heritage Foods, owned by Naidu’s family, was called for by protestors.

In Telangana, protests were reported at Jamia Masjid in Darulshifa and in towns such as Nizamabad and Warangal.

Bhopal witnessed thousands taking to the streets to express their opposition to the Act.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, passed by the Parliament last week, became law with presidential assent. Opposition parties and Muslim organizations have challenged the Act in the Supreme Court, which is set to hear the petitions in April.