BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slams Mamata Banerjee govt, alleges ‘state-sponsored attacks’ on Hindus |

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has criticized West Bengal’s government for alleged violence against Hindus in Murshidabad, accusing it of inaction and appeasement

NEW DELHI: BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Sunday strongly criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over the recent incidents of violence in Murshidabad. He alleged that the state was supporting targeted attacks against Hindus and accused it of failing to maintain peace.

Poonawalla claimed that members of the Hindu community were being forced to flee from their homes, while religious places were being damaged.
“Bengal is burning, and Mamata Banerjee’s govt is completely responsible for this. This is state-sponsored, state-protected, State-encouraged targeted violence against Hindus. Hindus are being forced to migrate, and idols in temples are being demolished. We also saw how the saffron flag was taken down. This is happening in the land of Swami Vivekananda. We saw that Hindu houses are being set on fire, and selectively, their shops are being set on fire. The way Hindus are being harassed, Mamata Banerjee should be ashamed that she is still engaged in appeasement,” he said.
In response to the unrest, the West Bengal Police have taken action by arresting 150 people linked to the violence in Murshidabad, which was triggered by protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Law enforcement has been deployed in areas including Samserganj and Dhuliyan to bring the situation under control, police said in a statement.
On Saturday, the Calcutta High Court directed that central paramilitary forces be deployed in Murshidabad without delay, following the large-scale disturbances that led to three deaths. The court’s move came after Advocate Anish Mukherjee, representing Suvendu Adhikari, filed a public interest litigation demanding the involvement of central forces and an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He said, “For several days now, we have been witnessing widespread violence throughout the state of West Bengal, particularly in the Murshidabad district.”
The court has also ordered both the central government and the state administration to file detailed reports on the situation. The next hearing is set for April 17.
Additional security has been arranged in Jangipur as well, following damage to public property during the protests. Authorities confirmed that while the unrest was sparked by opposition to the Waqf Act, conditions in the affected areas have now started to stabilise.