Muzaffarnagar: UP police in Muzaffarnagar district have issued notices against 24 people for protesting against the Waqf Amendment Bill by wearing black badges and asked them to furnish bonds of Rs 2 lakh each.

Superintendent of Police (City) Satyanarayan Prajapat on Saturday, April 5, told reporters that notices were served to 24 persons in this connection, and added that police have identified more people on the basis of CCTV footage.

The notices were issued by City Magistrate Vikas Kashyap on the police report, asking them to furnish bonds of Rs 2 lakh each after appearing before the court on April 16.

These people were found protesting against the Waqf Amendment Bill, and wearing black badges on their arms during last Friday prayers of Ramzan in different mosques here on March 28.

The people who got notices issued against them said they wore black badges only to show protest in a democratic way.

The Waqf Amendment Bill was passed in the Parliament on April 3. Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who tabled the Bill, asserted that the legislation is not against Muslims or intended to hurt their religious feelings, but seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management.

The Lok Sabha passed the Bill by a 288-232 vote in the early hours of Thursday, after nearly 12 hours of debate, and the Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the legislation following an over 13-hour debate.

The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it.