BENGALURU: Members of the Muslim community across Karnataka, who celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday, wore black armbands as a mark of protest against the Union Government’s Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had urged Muslims to wear black armbands while offering the prayers on Eid.
Housing and Minority Welfare Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan and his son and actor Zaid Khan were seen wearing black armbands while praying at the Eidgah Grounds in Chamarajpet, Bengaluru, on Monday. Hajj Minister Rahim Khan also sported the armband during prayers in Bidar.
Speaking to the media, Zameer said that they were wearing the black armbands following the instructions of the leaders from the community to oppose the Waqf Bill and it was done nationwide. He said that the Waqf Act has existed since the British era and should not be amended.
To send this message, the community has marked its protest peacefully by wearing black bands, he said. He further said that during the last Assembly session, the Congress government in Karnataka also decided not to support the Bill.
Following the call given by the AIMPLB, people had attended the ‘Alvida Jumma’ (last Friday of Ramzan), wearing black bands.