Ahead of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to violence-hit Murshidabad, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a scathing attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), with BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya questioning the purpose of her visit and alleging a breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state.
“What will Mamata Banerjee do now in Murshidabad?” asked Bhattacharya on Monday. “There is a complete breakdown of constitutional machinery in West Bengal, and the custodians of the Constitution should intervene. Violence, radicalisation, and even Pakistani infiltration — all of this is happening under her watch.”
Bhattacharya alleged that Mamata Banerjee’s silence on comments made by Minister Firhad Hakim regarding religious conversion and her failure to act decisively had led to the current unrest in Murshidabad. He added that sleeper cells and radical elements were thriving in Bengal and questioned how Pakistani citizens allegedly entered the state undetected.
The BJP MP, however, clarified that the party does not support invoking Article 356 (President’s Rule), though he claimed public sentiment in West Bengal is against the current administration.
“The wife of a deceased victim from Murshidabad came to Kolkata for court proceedings, and police vandalised the house she was staying in. What kind of state is this?” he added.
Responding to the political outcry, West Bengal Agriculture Minister Shobandeb Chatterjee said Mamata Banerjee had been unable to visit the affected region earlier due to ongoing tension.
“Let the police do their job. There is peace there now, and the Chief Minister will speak to the people about how they can live together in harmony,” Chatterjee said.
The backdrop to this political turmoil is the April 11 communal violence in Murshidabad, which broke out during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The demonstration turned violent, leading to two deaths, multiple injuries, and widespread displacement of residents.
On April 26, BJP MP Tarun Chugh also accused the Mamata-led government of harbouring rioters and said the violence in Murshidabad was a premeditated attack targeting Hindus.
“The state government’s silence proves complicity. This is a blot on humanity,” Chugh said, calling it a direct outcome of the TMC’s alleged politics of appeasement.
In a related development, the National Commission for Women (NCW) expressed deep concern over the violence in Murshidabad and Malda, reporting that women and girls were subjected to horrific acts, including sexual violence and threats of rape during the riots.
As political tensions escalate, all eyes are now on Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the sensitive region, which is expected to be closely watched both by residents and national observers amid the charged atmosphere.