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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday declared that the Waqf (Amendment) Act will not be implemented in the state, asserting her commitment to safeguarding minority communities and their properties.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Jain community in Kolkata, Banerjee addressed growing concerns over the newly enacted law, which has triggered tensions in parts of the country. “I know you are aggrieved because of the enactment of the Waqf Act. Have faith, nothing will happen in Bengal by which one can divide and rule,” she said, urging communities to remain united.
The Chief Minister made a strong case for communal harmony and criticized the timing of the legislation. “See the situation in Bangladesh. This (Waqf Bill) should not have been passed now,” she added, referencing the recent violence in Bengal’s Murshidabad district following the Bill’s passage.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, was passed by the Lok Sabha on April 3 and later by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of April 4 after marathon debates. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Bill on Saturday, making it a law.
Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, appealed to the public to ignore politically motivated provocations and avoid unrest. “You send out a message that all have to stay together,” she urged.
Reaffirming her government’s inclusive stance, she said, “We have 33 per cent minorities in Bengal. What should I do with them? History says that Bengal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India were once united. Partition came later. Those who are living here it’s our job to give them protection.”
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