Waqf row: Cops stay vigilant as protests erupt in Manipur

GUWAHATI: Police contingents equipped with anti-riot gear were deployed across the Muslim-dominated Lilong area in Manipur's Thoubal district to prevent further disturbances, officials said on Tuesday.
Dissent against the Waqf Amendment Act manifested on Manipur's streets on Tuesday, with two protest rallies taken out by Meitei Pangals (Manipuri Muslims) in Imphal East and Bishnupur districts.
Demonstrators on Sunday night torched the residence of the state BJP Minority Morcha president Asker Ali at Lilong after he expressed support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill prior to its enactment.
Security measures were heightened around the residence of JDU MLA Abdul Nasir, who represents the Lilong constituency. Nasir, who is the chairperson of the Manipur Waqf Board, is reportedly facing community pressure to clarify his position on the Waqf law and address the issue. Nasir is yet to react to the Waqf law.
"Security forces shall be equipped with anti-riot equipment, including tear gas gun shells, canes, body protectors, and helmets," stipulated an order from the Thoubal SP, reports PTI.
Lilong in Thoubal has remained volatile since Sunday after a sizeable crowd torched the residence of the BJP Minority Morcha-Manipur president. The crowd allegedly vandalised Ali's residence before setting it blaze.
Previously, Ali's social media endorsement of the Waqf Bill on Saturday provoked several organisations opposing the legislation in Manipur. Following Sunday's incident, Ali posted a video retracting his statement, indicating his withdrawal of support for the Act.
On Tuesday, numerous Muslim women in burqa participated in a demonstration at Kwakta area in Manipur's Bishnupur district, where hundreds of Meitei Pangals (Muslims) from various organisations united, demanding immediate revocation of the Act.
"Waqf Act contravenes constitutional ethos and impinges on Muslim rights. Waqf properties are our ancestral holdings and govt cannot target these by involving people from other communities, as intended through this new legislation," a demonstrator said.
The protesters marched 4km with placards, chanting slogans demanding the Act's withdrawal. They voiced opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah.
In Imphal East, hundreds of protesters, including men, women, and children, demonstrated against the Waqf Act. At Khumidok, they formed a human chain expressing opposition to the legislation.
Protesters from Muslim-dominated localities including Kairang, Khabeisoi, and Khurai Khumidok assembled at the Khumidok Bazar-Heikrumakhong area. In the northeast, protests against the Waqf Law continue, particularly in Manipur and Assam's Barak Valley districts. Sources indicate police remain vigilant in both states to prevent demonstrations from turning violent.