West Bengal: Hardening of Politics along Religious Lines
Asia News Agency
With the 2026 Assembly elections on the horizon, Jayatri Nag (Senior Correspondent, Economic Times) believes “Bengal's political terrain is shifting more sharply than ever - and the axis is religion. While faith has long played a role in the state's politics, recent months have witnessed a hardening of tone, tactics, and tempers. What was once an undercurrent is now front and centre.
“Both the ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition BJP are actively invoking religious identities not just as cultural observances, but as political flashpoints. This escalating narrative is further fuelled by incidents of communal unrest, like the recent attacks on Hindu communities in Murshidabad.”
The BJP has doubled down on Hindutva, framing it as a rallying cry for 2026. But political analyst Udayan Bandyopadhyay warns the approach may backfire. ‘People already associate BJP with Hindu politics. This overt campaign could alienate secular and progressive voters,’ he says. ‘Excessive communal rhetoric could consolidate Muslim votes against BJP.’
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, long accused by the BJP of Muslim appeasement, has in recent years leaned into her own version of identity politics - a softer Hindutva. Yet “Banerjee also continues to firmly back Bengal's minority population….”
As Bengal moves closer to the 2026 Assembly election, “one thing is clear: religion isn't just in the background of politics anymore. It's the language, the strategy - and increasingly, the fight.”
Waqf Act violence in Murshidabad, West Bengal
An offshoot of the politics, is violence against the Waqf Act in the communally sensitive Murshidabad district of West Bengal two Fridays ago. For more than a day, the law-and-order machinery seemed to be flailing as arsonists ran amok, leading to the loss of three lives. Houses and shops were vandalised and looted. It required the Calcutta High Court’s intervention and the deployment of central forces for a semblance of order to be restored.
Constitution vs political grandstanding: Emotions have been running high in the wake of Parliament’s approval of the contentious legislation. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been staunchly critical of the Waqf Act. But, writes The Indian Express, “when a CM of a state opposes a law passed by Parliament, she must scrupulously take the constitutional route….. But instead of letting the due process unfold, Banerjee has given in to the temptation of political grandstanding. Her announcement that West Bengal will not implement the new law can be seen as playing to the gallery. The stance has much to do with the brand of politics she has adopted since upstaging the Left Front 14 years ago. The West Bengal CM has not been seen to be averse to pandering to hardline elements in both communities. ”
The declaration of chief minister Mamata Banerjee that the law will not be implemented in the state, according to The Asian Age “cannot be dismissed as rhetoric. She may have justifiable objections to the new law but there are ways to express them. The state government can very well meet the demands of the Muslim community against the inclusion of non-Muslims in the Waqf Boards through administrative means and within the boundaries of the law. However, she must remember the Constitution does not permit the chief ministers to make a choice of the Central laws they would implement in their states. Even legitimate protest against an act of the Union government cannot become a reason for public defiance of the Constitution and the rule of law. Ms Banerjee must work with the constitutional framework to politically and legally oppose the law instead of resorting to a grandstanding that does not behove her position.”
Waqf law: Supreme Court flags 3 key aspects
Meanwhile separately, the Supreme Court Wednesday indicated it is considering staying the operation of certain parts of the contentious Waqf Act, 2025 which include the concept of ‘waqf-by-user’, representation of non-Muslims on waqf boards, and the powers of the Collector to change the status of disputed waqf land.
Later, Thursday, the top court deferred its interim decision on the pleas challenging the Waqf Act, 2025 to May 5. This came after the Centre sought time to file an affidavit defending the law, but assured the court it will not, till the next hearing, appoint non-Muslims to Waqf boards or change the character or status of any Waqf.
'We do not stay a legislation normally at this stage of the challenge unless in exceptional circumstances. This appears to be an exception. Our concern is that if waqf-by-user is de-notified, there could be huge consequences,’ Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna said in an oral observation.
Waqf-by-user concept: The 2025 Waqf law does away with the concept of waqf-by-user. Waqf-by-user is land used for Muslim religious or charitable purpose for a long period of time – it is deemed to be a waqf even if it was not registered as such. This could potentially raise questions on the status of several such waqf properties.
Non-Muslims to waqf boards: On appointment of non-Muslims to waqf boards, the government has given the assurance that ‘till the next date of hearing, no appointments would be made to the Central Waqf Council and the Waqf Boards” by the Centre and if any state ‘makes any such appointment(s), the same may be declared void.’
Powers of the Collector: The 2025 law states that if the district collector identifies any property as government land, it would cease to be waqf property till a court determines its status. The Supreme Court indicated that while the Collector can make his inquiry, the effect of his determination could be kept in abeyance.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the petitioners told the bench that ‘of about 8 lakh existing waqfs, roughly 4 lakh are perhaps by user and that the newly introduced provision, makes them non-existent by one stroke of the pen.’
