The All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) ‘Batti Gul’ (switches off light) protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act evoked a positive response in Okhla and other parts of India with residents switching off lights for 15 minutes on Wednesday night.
According to residents, who shared videos on social media platforms, there was near total darkness in several parts of Okhla, including Shaheen Bagh, Abul Fazal Enclave, Zakir Nagar, Batla House and other places.
However, a resident noted that the appeal to switch off the lights had no visible impact in some parts of Okhla as many residents were not even aware of it.
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A day earlier, the AIMPLB in its nationwide protest has given a call for a nationwide lights out protest between 9:00 pm and 9:15 pm on Wednesday, according to reports.
“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,” AIMPLB spokesperson SQR Ilyas said in a statement.
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
As a mark of solidarity with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the Pahalgam terror attack, the AIMPLB had suspended its campaign against the “controversial amendments” to the Waqf Act for three days starting April 23.
Ilyas said that while the “lights out” programme is symbolic in appearance, it will serve as a “powerful expression of protest by the country’s Muslims and all justice-loving people, united against these dark amendments”.
“We hope this small sacrifice will have an extraordinary impact. Try to ensure that no home, shop, or centre is left out of this campaign,” Ilyas said.
This move is being backed by many Muslim leaders, including All India Majlis E Ittehad ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi. In a video release posted on his social media platform, Asaduddin has called for a pan-India 15-minute lights out on Wednesday in protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill.
“I request all of you to shut off the lights of your shops and homes for 15 minutes between 9:00 pm-9:15 pm to protest against the contentious Waqf Bill,” said Asaduddin.
AIMPLB warned that with the Waqf Amendment Bill, Muslims could lose control over waqf properties, including mosques, dargahs, charitable institutions, and valuable lands. Earlier this month, the body held a protest and a public meeting in Darussalam, Hyderabad, to oppose the Waqf Amendment Act.
“We do not want to give a handle to the State government to dub our protests as violent or unconstitutional. We do not want confrontation with any State government. We want our protest to be peaceful but heard in the corridors of power. We cannot keep quiet. We have to make sure the protests are not hijacked by anti-social elements. Whenever we feel the social and political atmosphere is not conducive for the Board, we will not hold any protest on the roads. We want to avoid all violence. We would rather do a conference to highlight our programmes and the way forward in the Save Waqf campaign like we did in New Delhi’s Talkatora stadium recently,” said Ilyas.
“We want citizens of all religions to join the protest as it is to save the spirit of our Constitution and highlight the fact that the law is discriminatory and against the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.
Even as Batti Gul campaign goes on, the Waqf case is likely to come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on May 5.
In background of the lights out protest, mosques in Okhla have adjusted their Isha namaz timing. A resident announced that in Masjid Ishaat-e-Islam, in Dawat Nagar, Abul Fazal Enclave the Isha prayer will be offered fifteen minutes earlier today.
“Usually, the Isha prayer is held at 9:00 pm daily, but today it will be at 8:45 pm. This change in the prayer timing is only for today and is part of the Batti Gul (lights-off) campaign initiated by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. The timing will be announced during the Asr and Maghrib prayers,” wrote Abul A’la Syed Subhani on his timeline.
Asaduddin Owaisi switched off the lights at his residence in protest and shared a video of the Batti Gul. “Batti Gul at AIMIM Headquarters, Darussalam Hyderabad. Protest Against Waqf Amendment Act, 2025,” he captioned the post while sharing the video.
Though the Batti Gul programme was held in several parts of the country, some residents disagreed with the move.
Some consider it ineffective act
Senior journalist Soroor Ahmed said: “By giving the light off call for 15 minutes All India Muslim Personal law Board played into the hands of Asaduddin Owaisi. This mistimed call should be denounced. Identify black sheep and do not accept the black-out call.”
Khalid Mubashir wrote: “Although I personally did not agree with the appeal to switch off the lights, as I consider it an ineffective act, nevertheless, I complied with it because in my view, obedience to a command is necessary…”.
Abdul Qadir wrote on this social media timeline: “Today evening I would be switching on even those bulbs of my home that generally remain off just to show the idiocy of a bunch of fools, self seeking misguided people pretending to be guardians of the Indian Muslims.”
