Waqf, UCC & The Battle for Muslim Rights | Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas
Join this episode of Nous Podcast as we sit down with Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a respected community leader, journalist, and social activist with decades of experience in advocating for social justice and minority rights.
In this conversation, we dive into the Waqf Amendment Bill, examining the real issues at stake, whether the Joint Parliamentary Committee has truly engaged with community voices and the long-term repercussions if the bill is enacted. We also take a critical look at the failures of Muslim leadership and organizations, exploring where they have struggled to protect community rights, their inability to effectively represent Muslim interests and the mismanagement and corruption within waqf institutions.
Beyond this, we explore how state policies are reshaping religious autonomy and minority rights, from the criminalization of Triple Talaq to the push for a Uniform Civil Code. We discuss the Babri Masjid dispute, drawing from Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas’ experience as a former member of the Babri Masjid Action Committee. He provides first-hand insights into the legal and political struggles that have defined the fight for justice. We also examine the factors that led to the rise of alternative political movements, the creation of the Welfare Party of India, and the weaponization of identity in India’s political landscape.
Additionally, we address the personal cost of activism, particularly in the case of Umar Khalid, Ilyas’ son and a political prisoner, who has been targeted through media trials and state repression. Lastly, we analyze the failure of mainstream journalism to engage with the Muslim question and the crucial role of alternative media in countering anti-Muslim narratives.
