Murshidabad (West Bengal) [India], April 21: West Bengal BJP President and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar on Monday voiced grave concern over the recent violent incidents in Murshidabad, alleging that members of the Hindu community were threatened at gunpoint and forced to chant Islamic religious slogans.
“Several such incidents occurred that day. Hindus were held at gunpoint and coerced into chanting Islamic religious slogans,” Majumdar told ANI, warning that such incidents may not remain isolated to Murshidabad. “This could be the future for Hindus in other parts of the state too. I ask, where are the so-called Kolkata intellectuals now?” he added.
Majumdar’s statement came in the wake of a social media post by BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya, who described a horrific incident involving robbery and arson. Malviya alleged that a Murshidabad family was looted of ₹7 lakh saved for a daughter’s wedding and ₹4 lakh set aside for medical treatment. “The husband was held hostage, and the house was later set ablaze,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), asserting, “This is the real picture of Murshidabad.”
The violence reportedly erupted on April 11 during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Muslim-majority Murshidabad. What began as a protest escalated into communal violence that left two people dead, dozens injured, and many homes and properties destroyed.
The unrest soon spilled over into other districts, including Malda, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly, with incidents of arson, stone-pelting, and road blockades reported. As a result, many families fled their homes, seeking safety in nearby regions. Some migrated to Jharkhand’s Pakur district, while others found refuge in relief camps set up in Malda.
Reacting to the unrest, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public appeal on Saturday, urging people to uphold communal harmony and not fall for divisive narratives. In an open letter, Banerjee blamed the BJP and its ideological allies like the RSS for “politicizing a sensitive situation” to stoke unrest.
She wrote, “Some groups are using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident to promote division and disturb peace across Bengal. I urge citizens not to be misled.”
As the situation in Murshidabad remains tense, political tensions are rising with both the ruling TMC and opposition BJP trading charges over the handling and portrayal of the violence.