"How Modi misled the Dawoodi Bohra community and the nation on Waqf Bill?" expalins Owaisi

Hyderabad: Why did Member of Parliament and president of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Asaduddin Owaisi, come out to protect the Dawoodi Bohras?

The pictures of the meeting of Dawoodi Bohras with prime minister Narendra Modi and the video of PM Modi crediting the framework of the Waqf Amendment Bill to them led to palpable anger in the Muslim community.

The videos and pictures were shared by PM Modi on his X handle and the complete IT ecosystem of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It was also shared by the Dawoodi Bohras on their social media handles, further amplifying the statement of PM Modi.

Anger in the Muslim community

As these pictures reached far and wide, the WhatsApp ecosystem across India saw a major anger against this micro-community of Dawoodi Bohras.

Dawoodi Bohras population in India is about 10 to 12 lakh. They are a micro-community of Muslims in the country. Dawoodi Bohras population in India is about 10 to 12 lakh. They are a micro-community of Muslims in the country.

The statement of PM Modi on ‘how he relied on Dawoodi Bohras for the framing of the bill’ had widespread repercussions, with an open letter to the community by a section of Muslims.

There were open letters calling out this micro-community for their support of the Waqf Amendment Bill. There were also calls in some sections of WhatsApp groups to ‘boycott the business of Bohras’.

Why did MP Asaduddin Owaisi step in?

In the Darussalam meeting in Hyderabad, MP Owaisi stepped in to explain in detail, “How Modi misled the Dawoodi Bohra community and the nation?” He called the so-called ‘Thanksgiving meeting’ a bluff

He did it to control the fanning of anger against the Dawoodi Bohras by other Muslims. He laid out a set of points in his arguments:

- PM Modi said that he has been in touch with community leaders for the past three years, and they contributed to drafting the bill ‘commas and full stops’, but the community opposed the Bill before the Parliamentary committee.

- The Bohra community flew Kings Counsel Harish Salve to oppose the Waqf Bill.

- Bohras argued that they have concepts of Dai-al-Mutlaq, which are incompatible with the concept of Mutawalli.

- Bohras demanded complete exclusion from the Waqf Amendment Bill, but they have been forcibly included.

- Their inclusion is going to benefit ‘Mukeshbai alone’.

In Hyderabadi style he said, “This example is of nana ki dukaan pe mamu ki fateha.”

Owaisi said, “This is a devious plan to divide Muslims, and it will not work. Shia or Sunni, we are united against this black law.”

Is there any reaction from Dawoodi Bohras?

Dawoodi Bohras have not given out any statement yet.

The community members are not authorised to comment on the works of Dai-al-Mutlaq as they believe that the position is also that of a protector.

A small number of professionals and businessmen within the community who are aware of the issue have discussed it on their WhatsApp groups, but no one will come out openly to talk.

Community unaware

A majority of the community members have absolutely no idea or even a say in the matters of properties, policy and also the doings of the Dai-al-Mutlaq. They are also unaware of what the Waqf Amendment Bill is and its impact on the complete Muslim community.