Huge protests erupt in Kolkata, Chennai after parliament passes Waqf Amendment Bill

Visuals from Kolkata showed a large crowd waving the national flag and carrying posters proclaiming 'we reject Waqf amendment' and 'Reject Waqf Bill' gathering at public meeting sites.

According to ANI, several of the protests were organised by the Joint Forum for Waqf Protection.

Visuals of the protests from Ahmedabad suggested a more charged atmosphere, with a video shared by ANI showing police trying to forcibly remove elderly demonstrators squatting on the road.

Police detained the chief of the state unit of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeem, or AIMIM, and 40 of its members.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Chennai, where actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam had announced a statewide protest.

TVK workers gathered in Chennai and major cities, like Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli, and raised slogans like 'reject the Waqf Bill' and 'do not take away Muslims' rights'.

Tension also broke out in Lucknow.

Ashish Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Lucknow) said, "We have asked everyone to make an opinion only after reading the whole bill and we are monitoring social media constantly..."

The protests in Bengal will add to the fire, especially ahead of next year's election, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having already declared that she will not allow the state's Muslims to lose their lands.

Accusing the BJP of trying to divide the country, an accusation echoed by the Congress - she declared the bill would be repealed when the new non-BJP government comes to power in Centre.

The protesters have raised concerns that the new Waqf laws will be applied retroactively, thereby affecting existing properties.

However, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have maintained that the bill is to protect the interests of the Muslim community.

Parliament passes Waqf Amendment Bill

The Waqf Amendment Bill, which states how Muslim charitable properties are governed, was cleared by Parliament after nearly 20 hours of MPs trading fiery speeches.

The opposition has called the bill "anti-Muslim" while those from the treasury benches hailed the "historic reform".

128 MPs backed the bill, and 95 voted against it in the Rajya Sabha.

The Lok Sabha (Indian Lower House) had passed the bill on Wednesday after a lengthy debate that began around noon and continued till 1 am.

While moving the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the bill was aimed at providing transparency in the management of the Waqf properties.

He said the bill was not about religion but property and its management and aimed to remove corruption.

The Minister said the Muslim community has largely welcomed the bill.