West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday defended her government’s position on the Centre’s Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, saying the law was “made by the BJP” and that her government “will not allow anyone to touch” Waqf properties in the state.
For months, the state government had refused to implement the amended Act, which it has now accepted. The state issued directions to upload details of 82,000 Waqf properties on the Central portal by the December 5 deadline. The decision has drawn criticism from several minority groups and organisations.
Speaking at Gazole in Malda district, Banerjee addressed the criticism. She said, “Some are fighting on the basis of religion. The Waqf property law has been made by the BJP. We resisted it in the Vidhan Sabha and filed a case in the Supreme Court, which is ongoing. As long as we are here, we will not let anyone touch them. Whoever it may be, I will not allow anyone to touch religious places. I do not do communal politics.”
Banerjee also attacked the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and urged people to submit enumeration forms correctly, attend hearings, and ask migrant workers to return home. On the process, she said that she would “set up ‘May I Help You’ camps in every block from the 12th” for anyone whose name is removed.
Advising people to follow the process, she said, “…Today I heard the servers are down… there is no need to worry. There will be no pushback. I am your security… If anyone lacks documents, they will get them there. Trinamool workers must work actively to help people and BLOs.”
“Nine BLOs have died in Maharashtra, in Gujarat three or four… in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and in Bengal as well. Here, 39 have died due to SIR, and 13 are critical in hospitals. Another three tried to commit suicide and are recovering. Why are you doing this before elections? Citizens again have to prove that they belong. You are doing this on purpose so that six months before elections, state machinery cannot work and becomes paralysed,” she said.
She alleged political motives behind the timing of the exercise. “In February, election dates will be announced, so they did this on purpose three months earlier. (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah has done this so that either you follow SIR or shut down the government. We will do everything. We will fight. Bangla cannot be suppressed. Occupy Bengal democratically if people vote for you.”
Banerjee added, “We have never said don’t do SIR or census. It takes time. During elections, what is your (Centre’s) hurry? You earned crores through demonetisation, and now in the name of SIR, you wish to do votebandi. How many people have died, tell me. When will you stop? If someone speaks Bangla, you call them Bangladeshi. Those who came here during Independence, how do you call them Bangladeshi? Is Sonali Bangladeshi? You used the BSF to push back even a pregnant woman. We filed a case and the court said she has to be repatriated.”
Banerjee also alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants in other states. “Even in Odisha, we are being harassed. I like when people speak in their own languages. Then why do you attack and harass us in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh? We need an answer. We will speak in Bangla, but you cannot remove me from my language. I do not object when someone speaks Gujarati.”