Mamata Banerjee Alleges BJP Behind Murshidabad Violence, Claims ‘BSF Paid Rioters'

Mamata Banerjee Alleges BJP Behind Murshidabad Violence: On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cited Union Home Minister Amit Shah's control over federal agencies and attacked him and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the communal riots in Murshidabad during the protests against the new Waqf Act governing Islamic charitable endowments. She alleged that criminal elements from Bangladesh had entered India and engineered the riots.

Violent incidents erupted Friday in Murshidabad's Suti and Samserganj areas during protests against the Waqf law, leading to the killing of three individuals. A father-son duo, Haragobindo Das, 72, and Chandan Das, 40, were killed by stabbing in Samserganj. The third, Ezaz Ahmed, 25, was alleged to have been shot dead by security personnel.

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“I saw a social media post by a news agency. It said people from Bangladesh engineered the riots,” Banerjee spoke in a meeting of religious leaders discussing the new law. She said she was not in charge of guarding the border and questioned how people from across the border were allowed to create trouble in West Bengal, alleging that the BSF was under the Union Ministry of Home.

“You want polarisation. You want to divide Hindus and Muslims,” she said. Banerjee said she never mentions Shah’s name. “But if the Union home minister cuts the branch on which he sits, then we have to speak out.”

She said, "The riot-affected area is part of the Malda (south) parliamentary constituency, which Congress would win in 2024." "It was a pre-planned communal riot," she said; "the info has been conveyed to me through the local populace."

She promised the rioters would not go unpunished. “I will not spare those who took part in the riots. BSF opened fire. This should be probed too. Our government will build houses for those who lost their homes. Those who lost shops will also be compensated.” She announced ₹10 lakh in compensation to each deceased's family.

She stated that children received ₹5,000-6,000 for stoning. “Our investigation is on. We will find out who did this.” Flights go from India to Bangladesh; who is coming? “Earlier, our police used to be posted at the airports. You [Union government] have removed them. Trains are running. You do not share any report with us,” she said.

Banerjee charged a section of the media working outside Bengal with spreading fake news for payment from the BJP. “They circulate videos from other states and pass them as incidents in Bengal. We have detected these. Every religion should respect other religions. This is our heritage, but you are taking away the rights of both Ram and Rahim.”

Banerjee was questioning the hurry regarding the Waqf law. “You may hold secret meetings with Muhammad Yunus [advisor to the Bangladesh caretaker government]. We would not say anything if that helps. But what is your real intention? To get people from Bangladesh and start riots here?”

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Banerjee asked the BJP about the jobs and the inflation. “You have been in power for 10 years. How many jobs have you created? Only prices of medicines, petrol, diesel, and essential items have skyrocketed,” she said. “Be patient for one year. There will be a change in Delhi. A new government will come. And I hope the man who crawls would not be in it. Once that happens, we have to amend the Constitution and change all the laws the BJP introduced. If there is a crisis, you have to wait and overcome the situation.”

Banerjee questioned the BJP's move to introduce the Uniform Civil Code, asking if it would be accepted by Christians. “We know you are anti-Muslim, but whom do you meet when you visit Saudi Arabia? Whose hospitality do you accept in Dubai and Kuwait? Who do you embrace there? This double standard would not work.”

She said that the BJP would send rowdies to create unrest, asking her audience not to fall into their trap. “Go to Delhi and seek appointments with the president and the prime Minister. Protest in Delhi. As long as I am here, I will not let them create a divide between Hindus and Muslims.”

BJP's West Bengal chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said that Bhattacharya's comments about Amit Shah had established his position. “She is recognising the Union home minister’s leadership. It is apparent that those who indulged in riot and attacked Hindus are scared. She sent a divisive message. The Uniform Civil Code is not a hidden agenda. People want it. By raising it, she sent a signal. Riots took place in several districts in recent years. Were people from Bangladesh involved in those incidents?” asked Bhattacharya. “Her politics is all about indulging infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas. Indian Muslims are facing trouble because of this.”

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