New Delhi: Tensions have escalated in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, due to ongoing riots that have resulted in three deaths, 15 injured policemen, and over 150 arrests. A state intelligence report indicates that the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is provoking unrest in the area, while an internal note from the Border Security Force (BSF) highlights the presence of Bangladeshi Jamaat sleeper cells operating across the border.
The violence began during protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, leading to mobs attacking Hindu properties and engaging with police forces. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has declined to implement the Centre’s law, igniting a political controversy. Meanwhile, visuals depict Hindu families fleeing from their burnt homes. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been deployed to help manage the situation.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP Member of Parliament Jyotirmay Singh Mahato have both condemned the violence, with Mahato calling for the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to be enacted in the border districts of Bengal.
Reports indicate widespread property damage, with numerous homes set ablaze, forcing families to flee their homes, particularly in Murshidabad and surrounding areas. Many Hindu families have reportedly sought refuge in neighbouring Malda. The violence has quickly escalated into a major political conflict. BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahatos’s letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah calls for the deployment of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Bengals bordering districts to curb the violence and restore order.
Mahatos’s letter alleges that the state administration has deliberately ignored the attacks on Hindu communities, a claim vehemently denied by the state government. The central government, meanwhile, has deployed additional CRPF forces to the affected region. Five additional teams have joined existing deployments in Murshidabad, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has also condemned the violence and expressed concern for the safety and well-being of displaced Hindu families. Mamata Banerjee, however, maintains her stance against the Waqf Amendment Act, arguing that it is unjust and divisive. The situation remains volatile, with ongoing investigations and a heavy security presence in Murshidabad.
