Manipur BJP condemns arson attack on Minority Morcha President’s residence

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Manipur Pradesh unit, has issued a strong condemnation of the arson attack on the residence of Askar Ali Makakmayum, the President of BJP Minority Morcha, Manipur Pradesh. 

The incident occurred late on the night of April 6, 2025, in Lilong Shambrukhong Manai, when an unidentified mob allegedly set the property on fire.

Party officials expressed grave concern over the act of violence, calling it "deeply unfortunate and unacceptable." They urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly and bring those responsible to justice.

In a statement, the BJP Manipur Pradesh emphasized the need for peace and stability in the region, and called on all communities to reject violence. The party also expressed hope that such incidents will not recur in the future.

For the unversed, tensions escalated in Manipur after the residence of Mohammad Asker Ali, President of the BJP Minority Morcha in the state, was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants on April 6. The incident occurred just hours after Ali publicly expressed support for the Waqf Amendment Bill.

Ali, a Meitei-Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) leader representing the Lilong constituency in Thoubal district, had endorsed the Bill through a social media post earlier in the day. However, facing backlash from his community, he later posted a video on Facebook apologizing for his stance and retracting his support.

Retracting from his previous statement, Asker Ali spoke in Manipuri in a fresh Facebook post, saying, "My name is Asker Ali from Lilong Haoreibi Sambrukhong. I had posted videos and shared my comments on social media on Waqf Amendment Bill which was recently passed in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. I feel so sorry for what I have said. Next time I will not do it. I am clarifying that I don’t support Waqf Amendment Bill and it should be repealed".

In the video, Ali stated that he no longer supports the Bill and called for its immediate repeal. His retraction appeared to be a direct response to the intense pressure from within the community.

Authorities have not yet identified the individuals responsible for the arson, and no official statement has been released by the Manipur BJP regarding the incident.