Anti-Waqf protests: Forces keep vigil in Murshidabad

Security forces kept a strict vigil to prevent any fresh episode of violence over the Waqf Amendment Act in West Bengalrsquos Murshidabad district on Tuesday with personnel of the BSF CRPF State Armed Police and RAF deployed in large numbers in Jangipur Dhuliyan Suti and ShamsherganjThe state police said the situation in riothit parts is gradually returning to normal with shops reopening and displaced families starting to come back Violent protests erupted on Friday and Saturday in pockets of the district including Suti Dhulian and Jangipur following anger over the amended Waqf ActThe clashes erupted when police stopped ISF supporters from heading towards Ramlila Maidan in central Kolkata to attend an antiWaqf Act rally addressed by party leader and Bhangar MLA Naushad Siddique On Monday supporters of the Indian Secular Front ISF clashed with the police at Bhangar leading to several injuries vandalising of public properties and the torching of multiple police vehiclesThe demonstrations soon escalated into clashes leaving at least three people dead and several injuredA total of 210 people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence the officials said Meanwhile a relief camp has been set up in Maldarsquos Par Lalpur for the people who were forced to leave their houses in the SamserganjDhuliyan areas of MurshidabadFresh plea in SCThe Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to consider listing a fresh plea challenging the constitutional validity of several provisions of the Waqf Amendment Act 2025 A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar took note of the submissions of advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain that a fresh plea was filed and the same be listed for hearingldquoAll matters where mentioning slips are given we give dates mostly within a weekrdquo the CJI said As many as 10 petitions including the one filed by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi are already listed for hearing on April 16 before a threejudge bench comprising the CJI and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V ViswanathanThe fresh plea mentioned by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain was filed by Hari Shankar Jain and one Mani Munjal against the Union of India the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Central Waqf CouncilMeanwhile two other petitions have sought a courtmonitored probe into the violence in West BengallsquoCM inciting violencersquoKiren RijijuUnion Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of ldquoinciting violencerdquo by her remarks asking people to protest against the Waqf Act and declaring that she will not implement it in her state Speaking at a press conference here Rijiju asked how Benerjee can declare she will not implement the amended Waqf Act passed by the Parliament ldquoShe is sitting in a constitutional position and the law is passed by a constitutional body then how can she say that she will not follow something that is constitutionalrdquo In response to queries about the Waqf Act related violence in Bengal Rijiju blamed Banerjee for it ldquoThe CM is visibly inciting violence by asking people to protestrdquo he said Rijiju further said that the amendments were not targeted at the Muslim community ldquoThis is not targeted at Muslim community It is to correct mistakes of the pastrdquo the Union Minister saidatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params