AIMPLB disappointed with SC interim ruling on Waqf row
New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s interim judgement on the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
Board spokesperson SQR Ilyas said that while the Court has given some relief, it has not addressed all the constitutional issues raised. He said that the Muslim community and the AIMPLB had expected a stay on all clauses of the Act which, according to them, go against the basic provisions of the Constitution.
“The Court has stayed a few provisions, but many important clauses, which are arbitrary and affect the community’s understanding, have not been stopped at this stage. The final decision is still to come, but with the prejudiced approach of government authorities, the community fears that the provisions not stayed will be misused,” Ilyas said in a statement.
The Board acknowledged that the Court’s order has provided some important protection. The Supreme Court said that waqf properties cannot be taken away or altered in official records until the final decision. It also stopped the provision which required a government officer’s report to confirm waqf ownership, saying that executive authorities cannot decide property rights of citizens.
The Court further stayed Section 3C of the Act, making it clear that a government officer cannot alone decide who is eligible to create a waqf. It also said that a revenue officer cannot be given the power to decide property titles, as that goes against the principle of separation of powers.
On the composition of waqf boards, the Court directed that the Central Waqf Council cannot have more than four non-Muslim members out of 22, and state waqf boards cannot have more than three non-Muslim members out of 11.
Despite these directions, the AIMPLB said it is unhappy with the overall ruling. “The Board feels that the entire amendment is a deliberate move to weaken and seize waqf properties. It demands the complete repeal of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, and a return to the earlier Waqf Act. The refusal to stay the entire Act leaves many harmful provisions in force, such as ending recognition of ‘Waqf by user’ in future and making a written Waqf deed compulsory, which goes against Islamic law,” the statement said.
Ilyas also announced that the Board’s Save Waqf campaign will continue. Nationwide protests will be held, leading to a large rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 16.
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Trump rushed out of dinner event after shots fired; one arrested
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump and other top White House officials were evacuated unharmed from the annual dinner of White House correspondents after a man armed with multiple weapons fired shots outside the ballroom of the hotel.
The incident took place at around 8:34 PM local time when dinner was served. At that time, Trump was seen having a conversation with Weijia Jiang, the President of the White House Correspondents' Association, and mentalist Oz Pearlman, who was scheduled to present a show at the marquee event at the Washington Hilton here.
Secret Service officials and other security personnel covered the President, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J D Vance, and the Second Lady Usha Vance, who were seated at the head table, and escorted them out of the ballroom.
Several guests at the dinner, including leaders across the political spectrum, journalists and other invitees, ducked under the table, apparently as a reflex reaction.
Putting up a brave face, President Trump later announced on Truth Social that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days.
“Boom, boom, boom, boom is all that I heard, and many guests ducked under the table,” a C-SPAN reporter at the dinner said.
Hours later, Trump addressed a press conference at the White House and announced that the security personnel had captured one person who hails from California.
“I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray going down. I've heard that many times. It was a pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away. He (the attacker) hadn't reached the area at all. They really got him,” Trump told reporters, recalling the incident.
Trump said one security officer was shot at but saved as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Several protestors had lined up on the road outside the hotel, raising slogans against the Trump administration and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A CNN reporter who was outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton said he saw a gunman opening fire just a few feet away. He was among the dozens of attendees who took cover as law enforcement swarmed the venue.
The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California.
Asked how Saturday’s incident impacts him as the US president, Trump told reporters he is in a dangerous job but that he is no “basket case.”
“I like not to think about it. I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it’s a dangerous life. I think I handle it as well as it can be handled,” Trump said.
Trump has survived two assassination attempts over the past two years – first at a presidential election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, and later in Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.
“I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals, and progressives...everybody in that room, big crowd, record-setting crowd,” he said.
“We had some great work done by law enforcement, but in light of this evening's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully,” Trump said.
