New Delhi: A delegation representing the Dawoodi Bohra community recently met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convey their appreciation for the enactment of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. This legislative change was hailed by the community as the fulfillment of a long-standing demand. Simultaneously, in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requested Governor CV Ananda Bose postpone his visit to Murshidabad, a region recently affected by violence linked to protests against the same Act.
The Dawoodi Bohras, a Muslim community primarily rooted in West India with a global presence across more than 40 countries, have expressed strong support for the Waqf Amendment Act. They view the new law as a critical reform addressing past challenges faced by the community, aligning with Prime Minister Modi’s inclusive vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’. The community’s leadership emphasized that this legislation answered their historic grievances, which date back nearly a century, including complications over property disputes that the amendment aims to resolve.
Meanwhile, the violence in Murshidabad, sparked by protests opposing the Waqf Amendment Act, has prompted significant governmental action. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation package of Rs 10 lakh for each family of the three individuals killed during the unrest. Beyond financial aid, her administration is committed to reconstructing damaged homes and restoring vandalized shops to support affected citizens.
Governor CV Ananda Bose has expressed his intention to visit the impacted areas in Murshidabad and meet with the families of the victims, demonstrating the administration’s sensitivity to the emotional toll of the conflict. In response to the violence, law enforcement agencies have arrested over 250 individuals and deployed adequate police forces in hotspots like Samserganj and Dhuliyan to restore and maintain order.
This intersection of community gratitude for legal reform and regional unrest underscores the complexities surrounding the Waqf (Amendment) Act’s implementation and its varied reception across different groups in India.
