Don’t get provoked over Waqf law, won’t allow divide and rule in Bengal: Mamata tells Muslims

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, urged the Muslim community on Wednesday not to become agitated over the new Waqf law. She promised to defend them and their belongings and to forbid anything in the state "that will lead to a divide and rule."

Banerjee's community outreach comes a day after a demonstration against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the Jangipur neighborhood of Murshidabad descended into violence on Tuesday, with a mob attacking police cars and throwing stones, injuring many policemen. Banerjee urged Muslims to maintain their composure.

According to her, her government is unable to implement the new law immediately. "Now is not the moment to rush. Check out the situation in Bangladesh by looking across the border. Hurrying through a task could get you into trouble. The fact that 33% of our population is from a minority group bothers me. Shall I evict them? How can I accomplish that? Since Independence, they have been here," she stated.