KOLKATA: Months after declaring that it would not implement the Waqf Amendment Act, Mamata government in West Bengal has quietly begun complying with the Union government’s directive to upload details of Waqf properties on the Centre’s online portal. This is in line with the provisions of the Act. Despite public posturing against it, the Mamata Banerjee led government initiative marks a significant departure from the political rhetoric and street protests that rocked the state earlier this year.
This step comes months after vehement opposition from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership and widespread communal violence, especially in Murshidabad district, sparked by the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The State administration’s decision to adhere to the deadline set by the Centre has stirred debate over the political and administrative handling of the issue in Bengal.
The Centre issued a directive requiring all States to upload complete details of “undisputed” Waqf properties on the Unified Member Information Database (UMID) portal by December 6, 2025. Despite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s strong public declarations in April that the amended Waqf Act would not be implemented in West Bengal, state officials have initiated the process of data entry and uploading.
According to sources in the minority affairs and madrasah education department, district magistrates were instructed to lead the effort by holding consultative meetings with local religious leaders including imams, muezzins, and madrasa teachers to clarify the task. Technical facilitation centres have been set up to ensure smooth compliance. Only uncontested properties are being entered on the portal to avoid exacerbating tensions. State officials, on condition of anonymity, told The Sunday Guardian: “Though the chief minister and her party raised a hue and cry that sparked the violence, she has come to terms with it since the Supreme Court has not stayed the amended provisions. The State has no option but to comply with the Union Government’s timelines”. The portal upload exercise covers 8,063 Waqf estates across West Bengal. However, many mutawallis (caretakers of Waqf properties) have complained about inadequate cooperation from the State Waqf Board since the amendments were notified.
The government, meanwhile, has advised prioritizing the directive to avoid legal complications and ensure transparency. The Waqf (Amendment) Act, cleared by Parliament in early 2025, aimed at increased regulation and oversight of Waqf properties, bringing in a centralized registration and stricter documentation procedures. Critics—especially from West Bengal’s ruling TMC—portrayed it as an assault on minority rights and an attempt by the Centre to politicize religious affairs. This perception fuelled widespread protests and violent clashes, particularly in districts with significant Muslim populations such as Murshidabad, Malda, and South 24 Parganas.
In April 2025, massive protests broke out against the Waqf Act, leading to the deaths of at least three people in the Murshidabad district alone, alongside scores injured and hundreds arrested for rioting and arson. Murshidabad district, particularly its Jangipur subdivision and bordering blocks, experienced the most intense violence during April 2025 protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Violence claimed three lives: Harogobindo Das and his son Chandan, a father-son duo stabbed to death inside their Jafrabad home in Samserganj on April 11-12 and 21-year-old Ijaz Montuin, who succumbed to bullet wounds from Sajur More clashes in Suti at Murshidabad Medical College. Umarpur in Jangipur saw initial escalation on April 8, with protesters blocking National Highway 12, clashing with police, torching vehicles, and vandalizing shops. Fresh unrest hit Jangipur on April 12, where demonstrators attempted to block NH-12 and railway tracks, prompting baton charges and tear gas. Suti and Samserganj emerged as hot spots for fatalities and widespread arson. In Suti’s Sajur More area, clashes on April 11 led to bullet injuries, while Samserganj’s Jafrabad reported a home invasion. Dhulian in Samserganj block saw shooting targeting factory workers. Police stations, a TMC MP’s office, trains, and Government buildings were attacked across these zones. Police stations, vehicles, and Government buildings were set ablaze, and the unrest triggered the deployment of Border Security Force personnel to restore order.
The inflammatory protests underscored the palpable anxiety in Muslim-majority regions over the new regulatory framework imposed by the Centre, which was seen by many as undermining the traditional autonomy of Waqf properties. The unrest affected not only law and order but also disrupted everyday life, with schools, markets, and transport services severely impacted. The police arrested numerous individuals tied to violent outbreaks.
The Chief Minister’s initial public stance was defiant : she urged the Centre to be held responsible and pronounced the law would not be enforced in Bengal, even while appealing for communal harmony. Mamata repeatedly condemned the violence, warning against the misuse of religion for political gains and urging people of all faiths to maintain peace. She accused some political entities of stoking unrest for electoral benefits, a charge echoed by her nephew and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who called the protests a “diabolical game” by opposition forces seeking to destabilize the State’s social fabric. On the other hand, Opposition leaders like Suvendu Adhikari accused the ruling party of instigating violence to appease vote banks and divert attention from Government corruption scandals, underscoring the highly charged political atmosphere surrounding the Act.
Murshidabad district, 70 per cent of whose population is Muslim, became the epicentre of the protests and subsequent violence over the amendments. The communal tension escalated rapidly, with mobs setting ablaze police vehicles and clashing with security forces. The district witnessed three deaths in violent incidents on April 11 alone, causing widespread fear and disruption of normal life. The government had to deepen security deployment to quell the disturbances.
While the state government’s covert compliance with the uploading deadline reveals pragmatic acceptance of legal realities, it contrasts starkly with the public rhetoric that fuelled protests and violence months earlier. According to bureaucratic sources, the state has declared the exercise a “time bound compliance requirement”. The move to involve key district officials and religious functionaries in smooth uploading is seen as an attempt to balance Union mandates and local sensitivities. Nonetheless, the initial vociferous opposition and resulting disturbances remain fresh in public memory. The Waqf amendment seeks to bring transparency, regularize Waqf estates. Mamata’s closest aide and Muslim face Firhad Hakim faces charges of usurping Waqf properties. The Chief Minister’s public assurances against implementation contrasts with the quiet uploading of Waqf property details. “Mamata has understood she has no option. So she had to eat humble pie,” said political commentator Suman Chattopadhyay.
