Lucknow cleric calls for ban on RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, slams Waqf bill
Lucknow: Influential Muslim cleric and head of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, has called for the banning of several Hindu right-wing organizations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), and Bajrang Dal, labeling them as terrorist outfits.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan made the remarks at a meeting in Lucknow organized by All India Mohammadi Mission president Babar Ashraf.
In his address, Raza Khan criticized the Modi government for its handling of religious and communal issues. “The RSS is a terrorist organization and should be banned if the government genuinely wants peace in the country,” he declared. “I openly state that Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal are also terrorist organizations and should be banned.”
The meeting, attended by several prominent Muslim religious leaders, was convened to protest the Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024. Introduced in the Lok Sabha in August, the bill has faced significant opposition from various Muslim groups, who argue that it is designed to undermine the rights and management of Waqf properties.
Maulana Raza Khan and other leaders announced the launch of a new movement, ‘Waqf Virasat Bachao Tehreek’ (Save Waqf Heritage Movement), to protect Waqf properties across India. They urged the Muslim community to organize and participate in large-scale demonstrations against the bill to protect their religious and cultural rights.
Critics, including Maulana Raza Khan, argue that the Waqf Board Amendment Bill bill is designed to weaken Muslim control over these properties and is seen as an attack on their religious and cultural heritage.
In response to the widespread criticism, the bill has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further scrutiny.
