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Protests against the Waqf Bill Amendment continued on Tuesday as thousands of men, women and children participated in Imphal East. People from three major Muslim pockets – Kairang Muslim, Khabeisoi, and Khurai Khumidok, belonging to two Assembly Constituencies Khurai and Heingang, participated in the protest held at Khumidok Bazar-Heikrumakhong area.
Protesters formed human chains and shouted slogans against the bill. Speaking to NewsX, Maulana Amir Khan from Khurai said, “This protest is happening because of the bill passed against the Waqf Bill. We are totally against it and we will not accept it until we are alive. We will protest until the bill is revoked. We don’t want to cause any problems to anyone. If required, we will go to the Supreme Court.”
Another protester from Khumidok Bazar, Mohd Guraman, also shared the same sentiment and said, “This is totally against the religion of Islam. This act is against our religion because our forefathers donated this land for the sake of our religion”.
The protests sparked by the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill have led to violence in Manipur. On April 6 evening, the house of Asker Ali, BJP Minority Morcha’s Manipur president, was set on fire by a mob late evening, allegedly for supporting the Waqf Amendment Act, sources said.
Protests were held in different Muslim pockets of the state against the passage of the bill in parliament on April 6. More than 5,000 people participated in a rally held at the National Highway No. 102 in the Lilong area of the Thoubal district, which eventually saw violence escalating in the area. Authorities announced a curfew in Lilong and other areas following the incident.
Lilong has the largest population of Muslims in the state.
The protesters today condemned the attack on Asker Ali. Speaking to NewsX, a protester named Tayebur Rahman said a personalized attack against the BJP Minority Morcha President, Asker Ali is condemnable. Rahman, however, said community members are angry with the passing of the bill, and democratic forms of protests will continue until and unless the bill is repealed.
Apart from Imphal East, continuous protests against the bill are being reported from different Muslim pockets in Thoubal and Bishnupur as well.
The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament after marathon debates in both Houses and received the president’s nod on March 5.
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