Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Protesters marched nearly 4 km from Usoipokpi to Lilong Bazar on August 21 to voice their anger. Members of the Pangal community demanded the state government review recent Waqf Board appointments. These appointments, finalized on August 3, named seven members to the eighth Waqf Board, including BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP A Sharda Devi. The move follows the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, which mandates non-Muslim representation on these boards.
Critics argue the mandate clashes with historical norms of religious autonomy. The Pangal community has historically managed its own religious affairs through institutions like the Pangal Loishang. Now, the new legal framework threatens that tradition. One protester told reporters, "The inclusion of non-Muslim members has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Pangal community. It also raises concerns over our religious identity and the long-standing practice of managing our own religious affairs."
The legal fight continues in the Supreme Court. The court recently declined to stay the amended law but capped the number of non-Muslim members on any state board at three. While Madhya Pradesh and Manipur have filled these slots, other states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have opted to keep the disputed seats vacant to avoid friction.
Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh met with representatives from civil society groups and Waqf Board chairman Y Antaz Khan to discuss the fallout. The Coordination Committee for Protection of Waqf Properties Manipur welcomed the dialogue. A committee representative stated, "We thank the chief minister for meeting us and discussing the issues. He was aware of the concerns of the Pangal community over the matter." The government has promised to examine these concerns as a priority.
Updated at 22nd August 2026 at 2:01pm
Critics are pushing the state government to adopt a more conciliatory approach. They point to states like Tamil Nadu, which utilized Section 22 of the Waqf Act to justify keeping disputed seats vacant. This maneuver allows the board to remain functional without seating members who trigger community friction, a path some argue the Manipur government should have taken while awaiting a final Supreme Court ruling.
The controversy digs deep into Manipuri history. The Pangal Loishang, an institution dating back to the reign of the monarch, historically managed Muslim religious and judicial affairs from Kangla. Observers argue that the current push for uniformity threatens this legacy of accommodation, where the community traditionally maintained its own religious institutions while functioning as part of the broader state.
There is also mounting pressure on the appointees themselves. Some suggest that individuals named to these slots could offer voluntary resignations as a matter of personal conscience. Such a move, proponents argue, would show respect for Manipur's unique social history without requiring state intervention or coercion.
Updated at 22nd August 2026 at 10:01pm
A new pressure group, the Joint Committee Against the Inclusion of Non-Muslim Members in the 8th Waqf Board, Manipur, entered the fray on August 20. The group, representing various Pangal religious bodies and student organizations, officially submitted a memorandum to the authorities before holding a press conference at the Manipur Press Club. The committee argues the state government misinterpreted the law, claiming the inclusion of non-Muslims is an optional provision rather than a legal mandate.
The committee is calling for a full board overhaul. Their proposal demands the government replace the current appointees with legal and technical experts drawn from the Pangal community. They argue that specialized knowledge of Islamic land law and Waqf jurisprudence is essential for managing assets left by Muslim forefathers. The group contends that the current board structure sidelines qualified community professionals and threatens their institutional autonomy.
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