Waqf Amendments Ignite Political Fires in Murshidabad and Tripura: A Test for Secularism and State Stability
The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 has triggered protests in Murshidabad and Tripura. Explore its legal, political, and social implications amid concerns over secularism and minority rights.
NewsSutra
The recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 has set off a political storm in key regions such as Murshidabad in West Bengal and parts of Tripura, where protests have turned from peaceful sit-ins into full-blown clashes. The government claims the amendments aim to streamline Waqf property management, increase transparency, and reduce encroachment. However, opposition parties and several minority organizations see the move as an encroachment on religious autonomy, accusing the Centre of tampering with India’s secular foundation.
As the law-and-order situation spirals in these areas, the debate over the balance between state reform and religious rights resurfaces with renewed urgency. This article breaks down the key points of the amendment, the nature of protests in the two hotspots, the law’s legal implications, and how it’s transforming local politics across party lines.
What is the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025?
Passed in early July 2025, the Waqf (Amendment) Act introduces several changes to the Waqf Act of 1995, the central legislation governing the administration of Muslim charitable endowments in India. The amended act introduces the following major reforms:
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Establishment of a Central Digital Registry of all Waqf properties.
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Empowerment of state governments to audit Waqf boards annually and override their administrative decisions.
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Mandated declaration of all income-generating Waqf lands, with regular disclosures.
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Prohibition of any political office bearers from holding posts in Waqf boards.
While the government has pitched this as a move toward accountability, critics argue that it undermines the autonomy of the community’s institutions and invites state interference in religious matters.
Murshidabad Erupts: The Bengal Angle
Murshidabad, with its large Muslim population and historically significant Waqf properties, was among the first districts to witness mass mobilizations. Initially, local imams, Waqf officials, and social activists organized silent protests and prayer meetings against the Act.
However, by July 10, rallies in Berhampore and Domkal turned tense as clashes erupted between protesters and police. Authorities used tear gas and lathi charges to disperse gatherings. At least 38 people were injured, and over 100 were detained.
“The government is slowly taking over our religious institutions,” said Maulana Rafiquddin, a cleric from Murshidabad’s Jiaganj area.
“They want to erase our community’s self-governance. We won’t let that happen.”
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), facing upcoming panchayat polls, has seized the issue to attack the Centre while trying to avoid direct confrontation with law enforcement. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the Act as a “BJP strategy to provoke unrest in Bengal’s peaceful districts.”
In turn, BJP’s West Bengal unit accused TMC of inciting mobs and using minority appeasement as a political tool.
Tripura’s Unrest: A Surprising Flashpoint
Tripura, which has historically remained outside the spotlight of Waqf politics, saw unexpected and intense protests, especially in Sepahijala and Unakoti districts.
Local Waqf boards in the region—though smaller in scale—reacted strongly to the Act. Their grievance: the lack of local consultation before the law’s implementation. In Kailashahar, a protest march turned violent when a BJP office was attacked, prompting retaliatory stone-pelting. Internet services were suspended temporarily in affected districts.
The TIPRA Motha party, which holds sway in tribal-dominated regions, issued a nuanced statement:
“While transparency is essential, faith-based community governance must be respected. Centralized rules must consider regional realities.”
Tripura’s BJP-led government has since deployed paramilitary personnel in sensitive areas and set up community dialogue committees in an effort to calm tensions. However, the underlying political discomfort is visible.
The Political Repercussions: A New Front in Regional Identity Wars
While the Waqf Act may seem like a legislative detail, its impact is political and symbolic. In electorally sensitive districts, especially those with significant minority populations, it’s being seen as yet another instance of the Centre’s cultural overreach.
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In West Bengal, TMC has already launched a campaign titled “Dharm mein Dakhal, Desh ka Galat Hal”, blaming BJP for communal tensions.
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Congress and Left parties in both Bengal and Tripura have revived their secularism planks, echoing concerns about institutional erosion.
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Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has called the Act “a death blow to Article 26” and may attempt to expand organizational reach in these states using the unrest.
The BJP, on its part, is framing the narrative around property reform and anti-corruption, highlighting how many Waqf lands have been mismanaged or illegally sold over the decades.
Legal Experts Weigh In: Reform or Overreach?
Constitutional scholars are divided over the amendment.
Dr. Faizan Mustafa, noted legal academic, told The Hindu:
“While there is scope for improving Waqf governance, inserting audit and executive oversight without checks creates a dangerous precedent. It opens doors for the state to enter religious domains.”
Conversely, Harish Salve, senior advocate, argued on Bar & Bench:
“No institution in a democracy can claim immunity from transparency. If temples and churches are audited, why should Waqf be exempt?”
Indeed, the Supreme Court’s recent remarks in related land disputes emphasized that “public charitable trusts, including religious ones, must submit to rule of law”.
Human Rights Concerns and International Reaction
Several human rights groups, including Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch South Asia, have flagged disproportionate police force and indiscriminate arrests during the Murshidabad and Tripura protests.
Videos circulating on X (formerly Twitter) show police dragging elderly protestors, prompting backlash online and condemnation from civil society activists.
“Even if the law is justified, the manner of its implementation violates democratic norms,” said activist Kavita Krishnan.
Internationally, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry made a statement criticizing the law, calling it an “attack on India’s religious minorities.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs hit back, accusing Pakistan of “meddling in internal affairs.”
Road Ahead: Legal Challenges and Electoral Implications
Multiple Public Interest Litigations (PILs) have been filed in Kolkata and Agartala High Courts, seeking a stay on the law’s implementation until wider consultations are held. The Centre is expected to defend the act as part of its “One Nation, One Governance” framework, similar to moves made in education and criminal law reforms.
From an electoral standpoint, the issue could be weaponized by regional parties to polarize vote banks ahead of the 2026 assembly elections in Tripura and municipal polls in Bengal.
Conclusion: More Than Just A Property Law
The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 is emerging as a flashpoint between constitutional reform and religious rights. In regions like Murshidabad and Tripura, where socio-religious identity plays a crucial role in politics, the Act has rekindled anxieties around secularism, minority autonomy, and state surveillance.
Whether this leads to meaningful dialogue or deepens communal fault lines remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that even a law about property management can reshape narratives of democracy, identity, and governance in 21st-century India.
