On Friday, a confrontation between police and protesters occurred during a protest against the Waqf law in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. The protest in the Jangipur area escalated into violence. A large crowd gathered on the streets, protesting and chanting slogans against the Waqf bill.
The situation turned chaotic when protesters attempted to block the road. When the police tried to intervene, a clash ensued. The situation deteriorated rapidly as some protesters set fire to police vehicles. Several vehicles were vandalized, and stones were hurled at the police. To control the situation, the police had to resort to tear gas and a baton charge.
It was reported that several individuals, including some policemen, were injured during the clashes. Tension remains high in the area, with a significant police presence ensuring order. The administration has appealed to the public to maintain peace, while the protesters have made it clear that their agitation will continue until the Waqf Amendment Bill is withdrawn.
Source: aajtak
Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya has criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the incident. He took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) and wrote, “West Bengal is once again engulfed in flames. Communal violence has erupted, this time in Murshidabad, where a Muslim crowd has taken to the streets against the Waqf Act. Mamata Banerjee has lost control over large areas of Bengal, which have become inaccessible to state administration due to unnatural demographic shifts and illegal infiltrations. She is left pleading for their votes, with no other recourse. She must go in 2026.”
The Waqf Law Challenged in Supreme Court
Notably, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, passed by both houses of Parliament in the budget session, received the President Draupadi Murmu's assent on Saturday. Following its gazette notification, the Waqf Act, 1995, has been renamed the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Act, 1995. Several Muslim organizations and opposition leaders oppose the law. In this regard, six petitions challenging the Waqf Act have been filed in the Supreme Court. Prompt hearings on these petitions have been requested. The Court has agreed to hear these petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf law, although no specific date has been set for the hearings yet.
