TRINAMOOL FANS WAQF FLAMES, PARTY LEADERS ACCUSED OF USURPING PROPERTY

At a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has voiced her opposition to the Waqf Amendment Act and the minority-dominated parts of West Bengal are seeing violent protests, an intelligence report to the Home Ministry has flagged cases of encroachment of Waqf property by Trinamool Congress leaders.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

Mamata Banerjee, speaking after the Wakf Amendment Bill received the President’s assent and became law, had voiced her opposition to the Act. “I know that you are pained by the Waqf property issue. Please remember, Didi will protect you and your property,” Banerjee said. She accused the Centre of trying to divide the nation through “jumla” politics.

On Thursday, the leader of Jamiat-e-Ulema and state minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury addressed a massive rally which paralysed large parts of Kolkata for hours.

In his speech, Siddiqullah Chowdhury said that he had received a phone call from the CM’s office, conveying Mamata Banerjee’s “happiness” at the protests and assuring that the Waqf Amendment Act won’t be implemented in West Bengal. He urged the protesters to continue with the movement till the Centre withdrew it.

The Jamiat Ulema-eHind vowed to send a resolution against the Waqf law signed by 1 crore people to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Jamiat also announced a crowdfunding campaign to fight the legal battle against the Waqf law. The Supreme Court is set to hear a clutch of petitions this week.

Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to hold a meeting with imams and other clerics in Kolkata on 16 April, the day the top court has agreed to hear a batch of petitions against the Waqf Act.

Muslims constitute around 30% of the population in Bengal and have been a major vote bank of the Trinamool Congress. Elections are due in the state next year.

Meanwhile, following the widespread violence since Wednesday, the BSF, supposed to keep vigil on the international border, has been deployed in Murshidabad, a district with a 70% Muslim population.

Mobs of mostly youngsters set fire to shops, police jeeps and private vehicles in many areas of the district. They pelted stones at the police and blocked the highway and train lines. The police, instead of confronting the protesters, ran and hid in Muslim owned shops.