Consider Constitutional options to prevent spillover of Murshidabad violence: WB Governor report to Centre
Fearing a spillover of the Murshidabad violence to other districts of West Bengal, Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has suggested that the Centre consider 'constitutional options not only to put a check on the current situation but also to generate confidence of people in the rule of law'.
Also Read | Governor says holding discussions with CM, Centre monitoring situation
Communal violence erupted in the Dhulian and Samserganj areas of Murshidabad on April 11 and 12, claiming three lives and leaving hundreds of people homeless.
In his special report on the communal riots sent to the Union government, which has been accessed by The Hindu, the Governor has made three recommendations: to formulate 'an overarching legislation to empower the Union Government to maintain law and order when the State machinery fails to act effectively'; to appoint a Commission of Inquiry under The Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 to look into the reported acts of omission and commission and to suggest measures to prevent such incidents in future; and to set up outposts of the Border Security Force (BSF) in vulnerable areas.
At the very end of his report, without phrasing it as a recommendation, the Governor mentioned Article 356 of the Constitution that prescribes imposition of President's rule in a State. 'Needless to add, the provisions under Article 356 of the Constitution also remain,' the report said.
Demands to deploy BSF
The Governor had visited the violence-affected areas on April 18 and 19, where he had interacted with people affected by the violence and listened to their demands, including for the permanent deployment of the BSF.
In the report, the Governor called for 'reinstating/setting up Central Forces Outposts/BSF Outposts on their jurisdictional limit in the vulnerable districts along the international border'. He added: 'From my field-visit to the riot-affected areas and interactions with the aggrieved people, this appears to be a felt-need. This earnest request may kindly be looked into.'
State government's actions
The report lays out the details of how the State government was aware 'of the imminent build up of threat to law and order in Murshidabad', including protest rallies against the Waqf (Amendment) Act and the temporary suspension of the internet in early April.
Also Read | BJP holds Mamata Banerjee responsible for 'anti-Hindu violence' in West Bengal
'As per reports, till 22.04.2025, a total of 138 FIRs have been lodged and the total number of arrests for the overall violence has crossed 300. Four persons, including the prime accused, were arrested in the target killing of the father-son duo at Jafrabad on 12.04.2025,' the Governor said in his report. He added that the State administration has identified 109 houses or buildings that were affected by the violence.
The Governor noted that the State Government has taken action to contain the situation and restore order, but added that there was an urgent need for the Centre to take strong steps, including a strict vigil on the borders.
'Religion-driven political narrative'
The report said that 'atrocities inflicted appears to be systematic and reeks of an intention to destroy the identity of a particular group'. The Governor said that the manner in which 'people were ruthlessly subjected to forced displacement and conditions created for physical destruction of their identities' could be termed as attempts at 'cultural erasure'.
The report added that the political narrative of the State has now become 'religion-driven', arguing that the intensifying political rivalry between the ruling party and the Opposition has led to both major parties increasingly leveraging 'religious identity to consolidate their voter bases'.
These issues cause flare-ups of communal tension which are exacerbated by the State's failure to curb hate speech or enforce law and order impartially, the Governor said. The situation is pushing West Bengal towards a precipice where electoral strategies are increasingly reliant on division rather than development, he warned.
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