LUCKNOW: Amid the prevailing tension following the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament on late Thursday night, security was tightened in all the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh amid fierce criticism of the Bill from various quarters of Muslim community.
However, there was no incident of public protest reported from anywhere in the state. UP police in all the 75 districts held ‘Flag March’ in the wake of the passage of the Bill with a strict monitoring of potential troublemakers. Moreover, the state police are keeping an eye on the situation through drones as well.
Notably, UP DGP Prashant Kumar had cancelled the leave of all the police personnel calling them back to join duty with immediate effect on Wednesday when the Bill was tabled in Lok Sabha.
While cautioning the officers to exercise utmost caution in their respective districts, the state police chief has directed the officers in the sensitive areas to remain mobile in the field and intensify the police patrolling in public places.
The police chiefs of respective districts, including state capital Luckow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Sambhal, Aligarh, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Agra, Bulandshahr, Rampur, Jalaun, Moradabad and Mathura, remained on high alert and conducted flag march coupled with the monitoring of sensitive areas, shrines and dargahs through drone. Moreover, the vigilance was increased in Muslim dominated localities of the cities across the state.
In Lucknow, police surveillance was amplified especially in over a dozen localities across the old city area. Special security measures were taken to protect Vidhan Bhawan, Satkhanda, Roomi Gate and Chowk areas. Rapid Action Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and 10 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) conducted flag march.
"All the preventive measures have been put in place. Cops are aware of SOPs. People are urged not to have any misconception," said DCP (Central) Lucknow Ashish Srivastava.
In the Taj city of Agra, police and PAC units were deployed around the Jama Masjid with barriers erected at various points to control the movement. Flag marches are being conducted since Wednesday morning, especially, in areas with diverse population.
Additionally, the authorities are also monitoring social media platforms to prevent any attempt to spread misinformation.
However, numerous Muslim organisations denounced the Waqf Amendment Bill calling it an infringement of their religious freedom.
"The AIMPLB and other Muslim organisation have conveyed their concerns over the Bill to the JPC but they were not considered," said Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, a senior executive member of AIMPLB and chairman Islamic Centre of India.
Maulana Fazlul Manna, cleric of famous Tilewali Masjid in Lucknow, said the waqf was owned by Allah. “No one else can own the Waqf properties. Now the future course of action would be decided by All India Muslim Personal Law Board.”
Similarly, in Bareilly, while Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza claimed that the Bill would not be accepted by the Muslims at any cost, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, chairman, All India Muslim Jamat came out in support of the Bill saying it would be in the favour of Muslims if passed by the Parliament.
In Saharanpur, Maulana Mahmood Madni, chairman, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind dubbed the Bill as anti-constitutional. He said it was brought by Modi government following its “majoritarian approach” against the democratic values.
On the other, in Varanasi, Supreme Court advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain welcomed the bill saying it would curtail several 'unchecked' powers previously held by Waqf Boards.
Former chief of UP Minority Commission, Ashfaq Saifi said that he was getting life threats for supporting the Bill. “I am being intimidated through social media and Whatsapp calls. My brother-in-law Zahid Saifi, who lives in Gunnaur in Sambhal, was attacked by unidentified persons,” said Saifi.
At the same time, Sumaiyya Rana, daughter of late poet Munnawar Rana, was house arrested as a preventive measure in Lucknow.
