Sat Apr 12 13:10:25 UTC 2025: ## Assam’s AIUDF Challenges BJP Over Controversial Waqf Act

**GUWAHATI, April 12, 2025** – The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), a minority-based party in Assam, has challenged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s assertion that Muslim protests against the amended Waqf Act have been minimal. The AIUDF contends that the state’s Muslim population is deeply unhappy with the BJP’s plan to seize Waqf properties and vows to fight the changes legally and democratically.

While Mr. Sarma lauded the police for maintaining peace and highlighted the state’s unity ahead of the upcoming Bihu celebrations, AIUDF general secretary and MLA Rafiqul Islam stated that the Chief Minister’s portrayal of the situation is misleading. He dismissed the Chief Minister’s claim that only small protests occurred, arguing that widespread discontent exists among the Muslim community.

The muted protests in Assam, where panchayat elections are imminent, stand in stark contrast to the more significant demonstrations in Manipur and Tripura. In Manipur, protests by Pangal Muslims have escalated to arson and curfew enforcement, while a protest in Tripura’s Kailashahar turned violent, resulting in injuries to both police and protestors. These events highlight the broader discontent with the amended Waqf Act across the Northeast.

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