Agartala, April 17, 2025: The opposition is deliberately misleading the public and creating confusion over the Waqf (Amendment) Act to appease its vote bank, said former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb at a state-level workshop held in Agartala on Thursday.

Addressing the gathering at the Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan here in Agartala city as part of the Waqf Amendment Awareness Campaign, Deb lashed out at the Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress, accusing them of “ignoring the cultural traditions of the country for political gain.”

“The Trinamool and Congress always follow the politics of vote banks. They have no faith in our cultural values. The Waqf (Amendment) Act has been enacted for the welfare of poor Muslims,” said Deb while speaking to media personnel here.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched the Waqf Amendment Awareness Campaign across India to educate the Muslim community about the new provisions in the Act. As part of this nationwide effort, a state-level workshop was organized in Tripura’s capital today. Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, BJP state president Rajiv Bhattacharjee, MP Biplab Kumar Deb, and other senior leaders attended the event.

Echoing Deb’s views, BJP state president Rajiv Bhattacharjee said that the 1995 Waqf Act had many flaws that left poor Muslims from backward communities vulnerable.

“The Waqf Amendment Act 2025 aims to curb corruption and prevent the misuse of Waqf properties. Section 40 of the previous law was misused to forcibly occupy lands, and this amendment addresses such issues,” Bhattacharjee explained.

He added that the awareness campaign is crucial for empowering the Muslim community with knowledge about the amended law and safeguarding their rights.