Will protect Waqf properties in West Bengal, Mamata assures through newspaper advertisement

Amid discontent among a section of Muslims, the West Bengal government published advertisements in newspapers stating that the Chief Minister had assured that Waqf properties in the State would continue to be protected.

Advertisements published in major national and local newspapers state that the West Bengal Government continues to oppose the new Wakf Amendment Act.

The notice states, “The State Wakf Board has filed a writ petition in the Hon’ble High Court challenging the validity of the Wakf Amendment Act, 2025[WP(C)No331/2025)whichiscurrentlypending”theadvertisementstates[WP(C)No331/2025)geçerliliğineitirazedenbiryazıdilekçesisundu”ifadesiyeralıyor[WP(C)No331/2025)whichiscurrentlypending”theadvertisementstates

Pointing out that the allegations made by some interest groups against the State Government are completely baseless and unfounded, the notification issued by the State government states that in order to maintain the rule of law, a resolution was passed in the State Legislative Assembly on December 3, 2024, requesting the Central Government to withdraw the Wakf Amendment Bill.

A letter sent by the Secretary, Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education, Government of West Bengal, to all District Magistrates surfaced in November 2025; In this letter, it was stated that all ‘Existing Registered Foundation Properties’ will be uploaded by the relevant Trustees within 6 months from the launch date of the UMEED Central Portal. This played into the hands of a section of Muslim leaders as well as opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which targeted the World Bank Prime Minister for saying that the new Waqf law would not be implemented in the state.

The gazette notification states that all existing Wakf properties in West Bengal (i.e. around 82,616 Waqf properties) are currently registered on the erstwhile Waqf portal (WAMSI portal) administered by the Central Government.

“Therefore, there is no truth in such propaganda that registration of property details on the new portal (UMEED portal) will result in transfer or alienation of Wakf properties,” the state government said. The advertisement states that the only difference between the WAMSI portal and the UMEED portal is the process of recording information.

“In the old portal, information regarding the foundation was recorded directly through the State Waqf Board, but in the new portal (UMEED portal) the relevant Trustees will personally register the details of the foundation property,” the advertisement said.

According to the West Bengal government, it has given full support to the data entry process through the District Administration and set up additional data entry desks at District and Block levels and data of 23,087 registered Waqf properties have been uploaded on the UMEED portal as on December 5, 2025.

West Bengal witnessed violent protests over the Wakf Act in April 2025, with communal riots breaking out in the Murshidabad district of the state, leading to at least three deaths. Leaders of the Muslim community, including West Bengal Minister and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Bengal president Siddiqullah Chowdhury, said, “Muslims will not remain silent if Waqf properties are acquired.”

Toha Siddique, a religious teacher from Furfura Sharif, accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of speaking hypocritically when it comes to the interests of Muslims.

The Prime Minister tried to allay fears about Wakf properties, saying at a public meeting in Malda on 3 December that he would not allow “anyone to touch people’s property”.

Muslims constitute 27.01% of the state’s population and have been standing behind the Trinamool Congress since 2011. Any split in the Muslim support base could create problems for the Trinamool Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections.