National News
‘Concerned over violence’: SC posts further hearing on Waqf (Amendment) Act challenge pleas for tomorrow (Lead)

New Delhi, April 16: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed its concern over violence taking place amid protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
“One thing that is very disturbing is the violence which is taking place. Once the matter is before court, it should not happen,” a bench headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna remarked.
The bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, fixed the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the amendments introduced in the Waqf Act, 1995, for further hearing on Thursday at 2 p.m., including the arguments of the Union government on passing of an interim order.
During the course of the hearing, the apex court indicated that it would pass an interim order providing that the properties already declared as waqf by court order or otherwise will not be denotified by virtue of the recent amendment.
It proposed that provision of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, providing that a waqf property would not be treated as a waqf while the Collector is conducting an inquiry on the aspect if the property is a government land, should not be given effect to.
Further, the CJI-led Bench said that it intends to pass an interim order providing that all members of the waqf boards and Central Waqf Council, except the ex-officio members, should be Muslims.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the passing of an interim order and urged the CJI Khanna-led Bench to give the Union government a hearing before any order is passed. He added that a reply would be filed within two weeks if a notice is issued to the Union government, and the matter may be taken for hearing on a day-to-day basis.
At the very outset of the hearing, the top court said: “Two aspects we would like both sides to address. First, whether we should entertain writ petitions or relegate it to the High Court? Second, what do you (petitioners) want to argue?”
Multiple petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the recent amendments introduced in the Waqf Act, 1995.
After the legislation was passed by Parliament in the first week of April, the Congress announced it will challenge the Waqf (Amendment) Bill (now an Act after the Presidential assent) before the Supreme Court, claiming that it was an attack on the basic structure of the Constitution and was aimed at “polarising” and “dividing” the country on the basis of religion. On the other hand, the government has said that crores of poor Muslims will benefit from this legislation, and in no way does it harm any single Muslim.
In his petition filed before the apex court, Congress MP and party whip in Lok Sabha Mohammad Jawed contended that the amendments violated Articles 14 (right to equality), 25 (freedom to practice and propagate religion), 26 (freedom of religious denominations to manage their religious affairs), 29 (minority rights), and 300A (right to property) of the Constitution.
Another plea filed by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the impugned amendments are “ex facie violative of Articles 14, 15, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 300A of the Constitution of India and manifestly arbitrary”.
Several others, including the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, Maulana Arshad Madani of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the Indian Union Muslim League, Taiyyab Khan Salmani, and Anjum Kadari, have filed petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the provision.
In response to the petitions seeking a stay on the implementation of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Union government has filed a caveat, or notice submitted to a court by a party to a litigation who wishes to be heard before any order is likely to be issued on the opponent’s plea, in the Supreme Court.
Also, several BJP-ruled states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Uttarakhand, have approached the Supreme Court seeking to defend the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
The concept of ‘Waqf’, rooted in Islamic laws and traditions, refers to an endowment made by a Muslim for charitable or religious purposes, such as mosques, schools, hospitals, or other public institutions.
National News
Dawoodi Bohra community met PM Modi, said thank you for the Waqf law

Delhi News: A delegation of the Dawoodi Bohra community met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (April 17). During this, the Dawoodi Bohra community expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recently passing the Waqf Amendment Act 2025. The community described the Waqf Amendment Act as a long-pending demand. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju was also present with the Prime Minister during this meeting.
The delegation of the Dawoodi Bohra community, who came to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that this law was being demanded for a long time through the Dawoodi Bohra community, which has now been fulfilled by the government. The delegation said that this has strengthened the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’.
PM Modi gave this assurance
The delegation of the Dawoodi Bohra community met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed its full faith in the policy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’. He said that the decisions taken by the government promote the inclusion and progress of all sections. The delegation appreciated the positive changes taking place under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and thanked him for his efforts. The Prime Minister also interacted with the representatives of the community and appreciated their contribution and assured that the government is committed to the equal development of all communities.
Who is the Dawoodi Bohra community
The Dawoodi Bohra community belongs to the Muslim sect, which is mainly from West India and whose members are settled in more than 40 countries of the world. The Dawoodi Bohra community connects its heritage to the Fatimi Imams, direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad in Egypt. Dawoodi Bohras around the world are guided by their leader Al-Dai al-Mutlaq (unrestricted preacher), who earlier operated from Yemen and has been operating from India for the last 450 years.
Crime
Put under house arrest again, says Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Srinagar, April 18: Senior religious and Huriyat Conference (HC) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said on Friday that authorities have placed him under house arrest, thereby denying him the right to offer congregational prayers during the day.
Mirwaiz Farooq said on X, “Every Friday I am put under arbitrary house arrest ! Putting pressure on me not to speak up, the ban also aims to weaken the centrality of Muslim institutions of the valley-the Jama Masjid, office of the Mirwaiz, and cause collective grief to Muslims and all those who oppose this authoritarian and sectarian outlook. My house detention case is still pending in court, where I am seeking relief from the Hon’ble High Court, but In such times patience remains our only strength.”
Mirwaiz traditionally delivers the Friday sermon at the Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of old Srinagar city. He also heads the Anjuman-e-Nusratul Islam, a religious organisation that runs some educational institutions in Kashmir, including the Islamia High School in Rajouri Kadal area of Srinagar.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) last month declared the Mirwaiz-headed Awami Action Committee (ACC) a banned organisation for five years. The ACC was formed in 1963 during the Holy Relic agitation by Mirwaiz Maulana Mohammad Farooq. After the elder Mirwaiz was assassinated in 1990 by the terrorists, the ACC came to be headed by his son, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
The MHA order said that the ACC has been encouraging youth to violence and is acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the state.
Mirwaiz Farooq, who is the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, has witnessed the desertion of several affiliates. As many as 12 Hurriyat-linked organisations have broken off from secessionism, reposing trust in the Constitution of India.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that “separatism has become history in Kashmir”, and the unifying policies of the Modi government have eliminated separatism in J&K. He has also said this is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
Crime
Harpreet Singh, responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, arrested by FBI

Chandigarh, April 18: National Investigation Agency (NIA) charge-sheeted Harpreet Singh, accused of carrying out terror attacks in Punjab, has been arrested by the US security agencies – the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Enforcement and Removal Operations in California’s Sacramento.
The FBI said on Friday that Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, entered the US illegally and used burner phones to evade capture.
Hailing from Passia village in Ajnala, the terrorist has been linked to at least 16 grenade attacks in Punjab, targeting police posts, religious sites, and residences.
On March 23, the NIA chargesheeted four terror operatives of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist organisation in the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack case.
The chargesheeted accused include Pakistan-based designated individual terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda, and US-based Happy Passia.
Sandhu and Passia were the primary handlers and conspirators behind the attack. They had provided logistical support, terror funds, weapons, and ammunition to India-based on-ground operatives in Chandigarh for executing the grenade attack, said the NIA.
The September 2024 attack was intended to target a retired officer of the Punjab Police, whom the assailants believed to be the occupant of the house.
NIA investigations revealed that Rinda, along with Passia, had orchestrated the conspiracy to strike terror among law enforcement officials and the public through the grenade attack, as part of the broader aim to promote BKI’s terrorist agenda.
They had recruited local operatives, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, who were tasked with carrying out the attack on their direct instructions.
Rinda and Passia directed the other accused, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, to conduct reconnaissance on the target twice before hurling the grenade, investigations revealed.
In the chargesheet filed before the Special NIA Court in Chandigarh, all four accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, and other related provisions, for their roles in planning and supporting the attack.
Investigations in the case are continuing, and the NIA is trying to track down other members of the BKI terror group and dismantle its network in India.
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