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Fresh violence comes days after Murshidabad experienced violent protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, resulting in three deaths.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)
Amid the violence during anti-Waqf (Amendment) Act protests in various places in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged calm and restraint, stating that everyone has the right to peaceful demonstration but should not take the law into their own hands.
While inaugurating a skywalk close to the Kali temple at Kalighat in south Kolkata, she also asked people not to indulge in non-religious activities in the name of religion.
“Everyone has the right to protest peacefully, but no matter who you are, do not take the law into your own hands. Someone will provoke you, but do not get angry. One shouldn’t play games with religion. Dharma means devotion, affection, humanity, peace, amity, culture, harmony, and unity. Loving human beings is one of the highest expressions of any religion. We are born alone, and we die alone, so why the fight? Why the riots, war, or unrest?” she said.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, “One shouldn’t play games with religion. Dharma means devotion, affection, humanity, peace, amity, culture, harmony, and unity. Loving human beings is one of the highest expressions of any religion. We are born alone and we die alone; so why… pic.twitter.com/n4kuXR3tPE— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2025
The TMC Supremo emphasised standing by everyone who faces attack or marginalisation, regardless of their background or religion.
“Remember, one can win everything if one loves people. But if we isolate ourselves, we won’t be able to win anyone. If someone is attacked – whether they are ignored, oppressed, deprived, marginalised, or from any religion – we stand by everyone,” CM Banerjee said.
BJP Targets
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT department in-charge Amit Malviya came out all guns blazing against CM Mamata Banerjee and claimed that there are two kinds of Muslims in Bengal: those supporting Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) and those backing Congress, Communists, and the Indian Secular Front (ISF).
According to Malviya, “Muslims aligned with Mamata Banerjee’s TMC are being given a free hand, those supporting alternative Muslim factions are being lathi-charged.” He suggested this treatment isn’t about the Waqf issue but rather about political allegiance.
“This isn’t about the Waqf issue — it’s about blatant communal polarisation. Mamata Banerjee is both desperate and dangerous,” he wrote on X.
BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul has also slammed the TMC government in West Bengal, demanding the arrest of CM Banerjee. Paul alleged that Mamata took money for 26,000 jobs.
“Mamata Banerjee is saying that she will not implement the Waqf Amendment Act in the state. How can you say this as Chief Minister? She should be arrested. She took money for 26,000 jobs. As the Chief Minister, she is responsible for whatever is happening in the state. Now, she is inciting riots, and she should be arrested,” Paul said.
West Bengal Violence
Just as the situation in Murshidabad started rolling back towards normalcy, in fresh violence over the same issue, supporters of the opposition Indian Secular Front clashed with the police at Bhangar in the South 24 Parganas district. The protest led to injuries to several people and the torching of multiple police vehicles.
The violence in Muslim-dominated Murshidabad’s Dhulian area, which erupted on Friday during protests over the amended Wakf law, claimed three lives and left several injured. Following the unrest, over 150 individuals were arrested in connection with the violence.
The Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of central forces in Murshidabad and other areas of the state where such protests were taking place so that law and order could be maintained.
