A mob in Manipur’s Thoubal district allegedly set fire to the home of a Bharatiya Janata Party leader on Sunday night after he supported the passing of the Waqf Amendment Bill in a social media post, The Indian Express reported.

The district magistrate subsequently issued orders prohibiting public gatherings following a report by the superintendent of police.

On Saturday, Mohammed Asker Ali, who is president of the state BJP Minority Morcha, said on social media: “Do not do politics on Waqf Amendment Bill. Welcome Bill. We support WAB [Waqf Amendment Bill]”.

A day later, a mob of around 7,000 persons, armed with sticks and stones, stormed into Ali’s home in Lilong Sambrukhong Mamei in the district and set it ablaze, The Indian Express quoted unidentified police officers as saying.

The Thoubal district magistrate on Monday issued orders prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons and the carrying of firearms, swords, sticks, stones or other lethal weapons, PTI reported.

The 2024 Waqf Amendment Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, and in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bill on Saturday, turning it into a law.

A waqf is a property dedicated to a religious, educational or charitable cause under Islamic law. Each state has a waqf board led by a legal entity vested with the power to acquire, hold and transfer property.

The bill proposed amendments to 44 sections of the 1995 Waqf Act, including allowing non-Muslims on waqf boards, restricting property donations and changing how waqf tribunals function.

On Sunday, protests were organised in several parts of Imphal Valley against the Act. Over 5,000 persons participated in a rally in Lilong Sambrukhong Mamei, while protestors clashed with security forces in other areas, including Irong Chesaba in Thoubal.

Protests were also organised in the Kshatri Awang Leikai, Kairang Muslim and Kiyamgei Muslim areas in Imphal East, as well as in Thoubal’s Sora, according to PTI.

After his house was set on fire, Ali apologised to the Muslim and Meitei Pangal community for his social media post. “I will not repeat such an act in the future,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying. “I oppose the Waqf Bill passed in Parliament, and it should be repealed immediately.”

Meitei Pangals are a group of Muslims who are part of the larger Meitei community in Manipur.