Members of the Muslim community, along with various groups and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM joined the protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act on Wednesday by turning off lights in homes, offices, and community spaces.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had called for countrywide protests where it appealed to the people to switch off the lights from 9 PM to 9:15 PM on Wednesday against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi switched off the lights at his residence in protest and shared a video of the ‘Batti Gul’ protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. “Batti Gul at AIMIM Headquarters, Darussalam Hyderabad. Protest Against Waqf Amendment Act, 2025,” Owaisi captioned the post while sharing the video.

Batti Gul at AIMIM Headquarters, Darussalam Hyderabad

Protest Against Waqf Amendment Act, 2025

Protest call given by @AIMPLB_Officialpic.twitter.com/329OuixHKP

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 30, 2025

Visuals from parts of New Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad and Mumbai showed people turning off their lights in protest. 

In Delhi, people were seen participating in the ‘lights off protest’ in Shaheen Bagh. Several internet users from Lucknow also shared images of the protest from Akbari Gate area of the UP capital.

Minara masjid Mumbai #BlackOutAgainstWaqfAmendments #WaqfBill #WaqfAmendmentAct pic.twitter.com/oqxPbU8YlE

— Mahtab_pathan (@MahtabPathan313) April 30, 2025

In Mumbai, the protests were observed in the Muhammad Ali Road area. Abu Azmi, Samajwadi Party MLA from Maharashtra, also shared images of a show of solidarity from Colaba. 

Asaduddin Owaisi, speaking on the protest, said “This call by the AIMPLB has been successful…I thank all for this. This protest is being organised to give PM Modi’s government a message that this Act will destroy the Waqf Board. The law that was made is unconstitutional… After one to two weeks, a human chain protest and some round table conferences will be organised.”

Delhi to almost andhera me hai #BattiGul
09:00 PM to 09:15 PM
Aplog bhi #Delhi se footage dekh sakte hai.#WaqfAmendmentBill ke khilaf Desh ki Rajdhani #Delhi ke logon ne khuub virodh kiya.#BattiGul #WaqfBill #WaqfAmendmentBill #WaqfAmendmentAct @asadowaisi@KirenRijiju pic.twitter.com/cAj05ulSTe

— Md Ehtesham (@md__ehtesham) April 30, 2025

Meanwhile, Maulana Khalid Rasheed of Farangi Mahali in Lucknow also participated in the protest and urged people to join the protest.

“All India Muslim Personal Law Board has appealed to the people to switch off the lights from 9 pm to 9:15 today to protest against the Waqf Amendment Act. People in Lucknow have joined this protest… We will continue our protest in different forms in different cities by the time this Bill is not removed,” Rasheed said.

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow Eidgah Imam, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali says, “All India Muslim Personal Law Board has appealed to the people to switch off the lights from 9 pm to 9:15 today to protest against the Waqf Amendment Act. People in Lucknow have joined this… pic.twitter.com/A7GOOqEwcH

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2025

AIMPLB spokesperson SQR Ilyas, in a statement, said that the Board launched a nationwide movement on April 10 against the “discriminatory and constitutionally incompatible” amendments made to the Waqf Act.

“As part of this campaign, various programmes are being organised across the country. So far, several large public meetings have been held in various cities, and roundtable meetings have been conducted with fellow citizens and civil society.

“At the district level, protests, demonstrations and human chain programmes have also taken place,” he said.