Violence over Waqf Act in Bengal: three dead, central forces deployed
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Three people were killed in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district during violent protests against the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
The unrest, centered in Muslim-majority areas like Jangipur and Murshidabad, has led to the arrest of 118 individuals and prompted a special bench of the Calcutta High Court to order the deployment of Central Forces to restore order.
According to police officials, two of the victims died in clashes, while a third was killed in a firing incident. In the wake of the violence, at least 18 police personnel were also injured during a protest rally in Tripura’s Unakoti district.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded swiftly, making it clear that West Bengal would not implement the Waqf (Amendment) Act. “We do not support this law. It was enacted by the central government, not by us,” she said in a social media post, appealing for peace and warning against those trying to stir unrest. She stressed that political exploitation of religious sentiments would not be tolerated and assured that legal action would be taken against instigators.
Mamata Banerjee's nephew, MP Abhishek Banerjee, also issued a statement urging people to remain calm and alert. He alleged that certain groups were attempting to destabilise the state by creating religious divisions. “Some want Bengal to burn because they’ve failed to oppose us on the development front,” he said.
The violence has spread across multiple districts, including Malda, Hooghly, and South 24 Parganas, with protesters blocking roads, attacking police vehicles, and throwing stones at security forces.
Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar warned that law enforcement would deal firmly with any attempts to disrupt public order under the guise of protests.
While the Trinamool government faces pressure to act decisively, opposition voices are intensifying. State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar criticised the government for its alleged inaction and blamed it on what he called a “minority appeasement policy.” He warned that such unrest would be quelled quickly if the BJP came to power in the state. Majumdar also suggested that the violence may have been orchestrated to shift attention from the Supreme Court's recent verdict invalidating the jobs of 26,000 schoolteachers in Bengal.
On the national front, senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi blamed the BJP for stoking unrest, citing the Centre’s interference in religious matters as the root cause of the tension.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on April 2 and 3 respectively, and became law after receiving presidential assent on April 5. Despite the controversy, the BJP is moving forward with a ‘Waqf Reforms Awareness Campaign,’ scheduled between April 20 and May 5, aiming to educate the Muslim community on the intended benefits of the amended legislation.
