Tensions escalated dramatically in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Tuesday as a protest against the newly implemented Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 turned violent. What began as a demonstration quickly spiraled into chaos when protesters clashed with police forces, resulting in arson, stone-pelting, and damage to public property.
Murshidabad Protest Over Waqf Act Turns Violent
The unrest unfolded as demonstrators attempted to block a major roadway, prompting a police crackdown. Clashes broke out in the Jangipur area, with several vehicles—including a police vehicle—being vandalized. Eyewitnesses reported multiple vehicles set ablaze and stones hurled at law enforcement personnel.
Watch: Social media posts capture how violence broke out in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district over the enactment of the Waqf Bill.
BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya took to X to condemn the violence and pointed out lawlessness in West Bengal.#WaqfAmendmentBill #Waqfviolence… pic.twitter.com/TPrlMlAVYE— The Theorist (@thetheorist_in) April 8, 2025
Streets descended into lawlessness as protesters and police engaged in a standoff that lasted several hours. The administration has yet to confirm the number of arrests or injuries, but visuals from the scene show extensive damage and heightened security deployment.
Waqf (Amendment) Act Comes Into Force Amid Rising Opposition
The violence comes just a day after the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 was officially notified and brought into effect, following Presidential assent. The bill, passed by Parliament last week after marathon sessions in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, has triggered a wave of dissent across various parts of the country—especially among sections of the Muslim community and political Opposition.
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The amended law includes several contentious provisions such as mandatory inclusion of two non-Muslim members in all Waqf Boards and the Central Waqf Council, a clause that only Muslims who have practiced the faith for at least five years can donate property to Waqf institutions, and provisions that allow government property marked as Waqf to revert to state control, with ownership determined by local collectors.
Amit Malviya Blames Mamata Banerjee for “Islamist Mob Violence”
Reacting to the violence, BJP IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, alleging administrative complicity in the unrest.
“The West Bengal Police is struggling to rein in the violent Islamist mob rampaging through the streets of Murshidabad—possibly under instructions from Home Minister Mamata Banerjee herself. Her inflammatory speeches have directly contributed to the current unrest,” Malviya posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He also claimed that internet services in Jangipur were throttled to limit information flow and public awareness.
Muslim mobs have taken to the streets of Murshidabad, openly calling for defiance of the Constitution in protest against the Waqf Act.
“সংবিধান মানছি না, মানবো না”
(I do not accept the Constitution, and I never will.)West Bengal Home Minister Mamata Banerjee must either wake… pic.twitter.com/hMMEpSmdfu
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 8, 2025
“This is the same region that witnessed repeated attacks on Hindus during the recent Kartik Puja celebrations. Several trains were brought to a standstill as tensions escalated,” Malviya added.
The West Bengal Police is struggling to rein in the violent Islamist mob rampaging through the streets of Murshidabad—possibly under instructions from Home Minister Mamata Banerjee herself. Her inflammatory speeches have directly contributed to the current unrest.
As a so-called… pic.twitter.com/vKKVabeMnl
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 8, 2025
In a further criticism of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Malviya said: “Mamata Banerjee’s spineless brand of Muslim appeasement is dragging Bengal dangerously close to the path of Bangladesh.”
Internet Services Disrupted, Rail Services Hit
In the wake of the violence, internet connectivity in the affected areas reportedly suffered disruption, raising concerns of a government-imposed internet shutdown. Rail operations were also reportedly affected as protesters spilled onto nearby tracks, halting train services temporarily.
Security has now been tightened across Murshidabad and nearby districts, with paramilitary forces deployed to prevent further escalation.
