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The Print
3 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Bengal guv hails PM Modi's visit, calls it a ‘great day for Bengal to celebrate'
Kolkata, May 29 (PTI) West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state — to lay the foundation stone of a Rs 1,010-crore City Gas Distribution (CGD) project in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts — as a 'great day for Bengal to celebrate.' Speaking to PTI, the Governor lauded the Prime Minister's 'relentless efforts for an overall development of the nation, particularly Bengal.' 'As far as development is concerned, the PM has been working tirelessly for the progress of the entire country, with a special focus on Bengal,' he said. Bose also noted the symbolic significance of the PM's visit coming in the backdrop of the success of 'Operation Sindoor', recently undertaken by Indian armed forces. PTI SCH MNB
India Today
05-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Why governor's report on Murshidabad sets stage for Centre-Mamata face-off
Dhulian's lanes are eerily silent. The violence that gripped this area and Samserganj in West Bengal's Murshidabad last month over the amended Waqf laws, claiming three lives and rendering hundreds homeless, may have ebbed, but the political storm it unleashed is only C.V. Ananda Bose's recent report to the BJP-led Union government has not only spotlighted the Mamata Banerjee government's alleged failure in preventing the communal flare-up but also raised the spectre of central intervention, fuelling accusations of partisan meddling from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).advertisementAt the heart of the governor's intervention is a pointed suggestion—that the Centre consider 'constitutional options' to stem the spiral of violence and restore confidence in the rule of law in Bengal. Though delicately worded, the phrase hints unmistakably at Article 356, the constitutional provision for imposing president's rule in a state. While not an explicit recommendation, the implication hung heavily over the report's final paragraph like an unspoken April 18-19 visit to Murshidabad was no routine inspection. He toured the worst-hit areas, met grieving families and heard out residents who demanded not just justice but long-term security. Chief among their appeals was the deployment of the Border Security Force (BSF) in vulnerable districts, especially along the porous Bangladesh border. For many, the violence had reopened old wounds of displacement and fear, echoing memories of cross-border tension and demographic The report reflects these sentiments. Recommending permanent BSF outposts in the riot-prone zones, Bose underlined 'a felt-need' from the ground—a phrase intended to lend democratic legitimacy to what many in the state government view as central core of the report revolves around three central proposals: a national legislation that would empower the Union government to intervene when the state law and order machinery fails; a commission of inquiry to investigate the events; and enhanced deployment of central forces. On paper, these sound like procedural safeguards. In practice, critics say, these strike at the federal foundation of India's polity, particularly in a politically polarised state like documenting that the state was aware of tensions brewing since early April—with rallies erupting over the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act and temporary internet blackouts preceding the riots—the report suggests an element of dereliction. It accuses the state of both inaction and inefficacy, noting that although 138 FIRs were registered and over 300 people arrested, the response lacked coordination and urgency. The killings of a father and son in Jafrabad and a separate police firing death stand as grim symbols of a breakdown of civil gives the report its sting, however, is how it interprets the violence. According to Bose, the attacks bore the hallmarks of a 'systematic' attempt to erase the cultural identity of a specific group. The language—invoking 'cultural erasure' and 'forced displacement'—moves the discourse beyond riot control to the realm of targeted violence, implicitly accusing the state of failing to protect marginalised the most politically volatile section of the governor's report is its commentary on Bengal's changing political fabric. It describes a state in the throes of a 'religion-driven' political narrative, with parties on both sides of the aisle allegedly instrumentalising communal identity for electoral gain. This shift, the governor warns, is pushing Bengal towards 'a precipice where electoral strategies are increasingly reliant on division rather than development'.That the violence erupted in Murshidabad, a district long seen as a bastion of communal harmony despite its complex demography, has made the shift all the more stark. The report expresses concern over the rise of Islamist fundamentalist groups in the region, claiming that the idea of 'Islam in danger' is being used to radicalise sections of the population. It highlights the vulnerability of districts like Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur, where Hindus are in a minority or near-minority, framing them as potential flashpoints in the near troubling is the governor's allusion to rising infiltration from Bangladesh. Referring to increased migration during the political unrest in Bangladesh last year, the report calls for a reassessment and urgent completion of fencing along the international border. In this framing, communal riots are not just local law and order issues but part of a larger transnational security TMC has dismissed the report in unambiguous terms. Party spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumder accused Bose of acting like 'a party cadre of the BJP', alleging that the governor's intent was to facilitate a backdoor entry of the saffron party into the state's governance structure. 'This will be challenged not just in the Supreme Court but by the people of Bengal,' he senior TMC leader, Kunal Ghosh, went further, calling the report 'politically motivated' and suggesting that it was designed to destabilise the Mamata government in the run-up to assembly elections next year. The charge resonates with longstanding accusations from regional parties that the BJP uses governors as political proxies in states where it lacks Mamata herself has responded with caution. While she has strongly criticised the violence and defended the state's actions, she has avoided a full-scale confrontation with Raj Bhavan, perhaps aware that an escalating institutional crisis could further polarise the one level, this unfolding episode is about riot control, police failure and administrative lapses. But at another, it's about who gets to define governance in a federal structure. The governor's invocation of national security, cultural survival and communal infiltration carries a narrative weight that goes far beyond assessment of the unrest in Murshidabad. It frames the state's internal strife within a national crisis discourse, something that can justify extraordinary doing so, Bose's report lays bare the ideological battle being waged in Bengal, a state with a history of syncretic culture, now caught in the crosshairs of competitive communalism and central-state rivalry. Whether this leads to actual constitutional intervention or remains a symbolic warning remains to be one thing is certain: the flames of Murshidabad have travelled far beyond its borders. They now burn at the intersection of federalism, identity and power—a fire that neither side seems willing, or perhaps able, to put to India Today MagazineMust Watch advertisement
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Please BJP, malign Bengal': TMC after guv's Prez rule report to MHA
Kolkata: In a report to the Union home minister, governor CV Ananda Bose has recommended imposition of Article 356 in Bengal only if "the situation deteriorates further" following the communal strife in Murshidabad , which left three people dead on April 12. Trinamool Congress immediately labelled it a "please BJP and malign Bengal report", and questioned the governor's neutrality. The governing party also stated that the situation was under control, so there was no question of "deterioration". According to sources, Bose sent his report to Union home minister Amit Shah after visiting Malda and Murshidabad on April 18-19. Raj Bhavan did not issue any formal statement on the matter. It was learnt that the governor recommended multiple measures, including President's rule. In the report, Bose called for the establishment of a statutory judicial commission of inquiry on the Murshidabad violence, as well as intervention of Centre in cases where state govt failed to take prompt and effective action. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Highlighting shortcomings in the police infrastructure in Bengal, the governor noted a shortage of manpower, often prompting deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state. He also called for the setting up of CAPF camps in sensitive areas, especially minority-dominated and Bangladesh-bordering Murshidabad and Malda districts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Have A Computer, This Adventure Game Is A Must-Play. Adventure Game Play Now Undo Responding to this, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told reporters: "The report given by the governor is entirely politically motivated. He has provided the report due to his political assignment. He knows the situation is under control, so the word deterioration does not apply here. The governor also knows that the responsibility for the border areas lies with the ministry of home affairs, the BSF. If attackers enter from the other side or there is infiltration, it is BSF's responsibility." Ghosh added that BSF must fulfil its duties properly, and this should have found mention in the governor's report, and dubbed it a "please BJP" and "malign Bengal" report. Interestingly, BJP, which is against imposition of Article 356 in Bengal, reacted cautiously. BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said the time had come for intervention, although the party was, "in principle", against dislodging a democratically elected govt. "We have been warning about the law-and-order situation in the state for a long time. It seems that the governor realised it late. He is the custodian of the Constitution, and it is up to him to write what he feels is right. The custodian of the Constitution has to take a decision in a state where there is no rule of law," said Bhattacharya. He also argued that the party was against removing a govt by invoking Article 356, but the state did not care for any federal structure. Bengal Congress made it clear it was against Article 356. Pradesh Congress President Subhankar Sarkar said, "In a federal structure, a democratically elected govt should not be removed by invoking Article 356. There are many provisions in the Constitution which can be used to enforce a check and balance if the law and order situation deteriorates. But a govt should only be removed through election. The constitutional authority has to ensure that there is an ambience for free, fair and fearless polls in the state." Kolkata: In a report to the Union home minister, governor CV Ananda Bose has recommended imposition of Article 356 in Bengal only if "the situation deteriorates further" following the communal strife in Murshidabad, which left three people dead on April 12. Trinamool Congress immediately labelled it a "please BJP and malign Bengal report", and questioned the governor's neutrality. The governing party also stated that the situation was under control, so there was no question of "deterioration". According to sources, Bose sent his report to Union home minister Amit Shah after visiting Malda and Murshidabad on April 18-19. Raj Bhavan did not issue any formal statement on the matter. It was learnt that the governor recommended multiple measures, including President's rule. In the report, Bose called for the establishment of a statutory judicial commission of inquiry on the Murshidabad violence, as well as intervention of Centre in cases where state govt failed to take prompt and effective action. Highlighting shortcomings in the police infrastructure in Bengal, the governor noted a shortage of manpower, often prompting deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state. He also called for the setting up of CAPF camps in sensitive areas, especially minority-dominated and Bangladesh-bordering Murshidabad and Malda districts. Responding to this, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told reporters: "The report given by the governor is entirely politically motivated. He has provided the report due to his political assignment. He knows the situation is under control, so the word deterioration does not apply here. The governor also knows that the responsibility for the border areas lies with the ministry of home affairs, the BSF. If attackers enter from the other side or there is infiltration, it is BSF's responsibility." Ghosh added that BSF must fulfil its duties properly, and this should have found mention in the governor's report, and dubbed it a "please BJP" and "malign Bengal" report. Interestingly, BJP, which is against imposition of Article 356 in Bengal, reacted cautiously. BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said the time had come for intervention, although the party was, "in principle", against dislodging a democratically elected govt. "We have been warning about the law-and-order situation in the state for a long time. It seems that the governor realised it late. He is the custodian of the Constitution, and it is up to him to write what he feels is right. The custodian of the Constitution has to take a decision in a state where there is no rule of law," said Bhattacharya. He also argued that the party was against removing a govt by invoking Article 356, but the state did not care for any federal structure. Bengal Congress made it clear it was against Article 356. Pradesh Congress President Subhankar Sarkar said, "In a federal structure, a democratically elected govt should not be removed by invoking Article 356. There are many provisions in the Constitution which can be used to enforce a check and balance if the law and order situation deteriorates. But a govt should only be removed through election. The constitutional authority has to ensure that there is an ambience for free, fair and fearless polls in the state."
India Today
04-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Bengal Governor warns of radicalisation in state in Murshidabad riots report
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, in his report to the Centre on the recent violence in Murshidabad, warned of a growing threat from what he described as the 'twin spectre of radicalisation and militancy' in the state. He submitted a detailed report to the Union Home Ministry regarding the recent riots in Murshidabad district, which were triggered by protests against the anti-Waqf Amendment twin spectre of radicalisation and militancy poses a serious challenge for West Bengal, especially in two of the several districts sharing an international border with Bangladesh, viz., Murshidabad and Malda," the governor said in his report highlighted concerns over law and order in border districts and suggested several measures, including the formation of a commission of enquiry and permanent deployment of central forces in vulnerable regions bordering Bangladesh. Governor Bose warned of a potential 'spillover' of violence to other districts such as Malda and Uttar Dinajpur, which also share borders with Bangladesh and have complex demographic late, there are "indications of radicalisation and polarisation", the report said.'The divisions are so deep that even in the face of escalation of violence, the chief minister's repeated 'undertaking' that she would protect minority interests... have done little to assuage the Muslim community or stem the tide,' the governor stated in the to news agency PTI, when asked about the mention of "the provisions under Article 356 of the Constitution" in the report, an official said, "The governor has not proposed for implementation of Article 356 (Presiden't Rule). He meant to say that the provisions of Article 356 of the Constitution are open to the Centre if the situation in the state further deteriorates."The governor's report comes nearly a month after the violent unrest broke out in Murshidabad, which claimed at least three lives, including a man and his son, and left several the riots 'premeditated,' Bose alleged that the state government was aware of the imminent threat but failed to act effectively. He cited the state's suspension of internet services on April 8 - the same day the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 was notified - as evidence of the administration's prior knowledge.'Clearly, the sequence of events that unfolded shows the woeful lack of coordination among administration and law enforcement agencies that were either too feeble to rise up to the challenge or were reluctant to do so,' he KEY RECOMMENDATIONSIntroduction of central legislation allowing Union Government intervention in law and order crises when state mechanisms of a Commission of Enquiry under the 1952 Act to examine administrative lapses and suggest long-term of permanent BSF and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) outposts in vulnerable border areas such as Murshidabad and surveillance and intelligence coordination across districts bordering Bangladesh, to address cross-border threats and ideological of constitutional options, including Article 356, if the situation continues to Governor emphasised that ensuring the safety and constitutional rights of all citizens must remain the foremost priority, and that inaction or politicisation of law and order threatens the secular and democratic fabric of the PTI inputsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#West Bengal
News18
04-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Murshidabad Riots: Security Boost To Legislative Steps, A Look At Bengal Governor's Recommendations
Last Updated: Anti-Waqf violence in Murshidabad: Sources said the governor's report emphasised the strategic and communal sensitivity of the region, while highlighting the law and order failure Governor CV Ananda Bose, in his special report on the Murshidabad violence, recommended intervention by the Centre, if necessary, citing constitutional provisions. According to sources, the governor, who visited the villages hit by violence linked to anti-Waqf law protests, emphasised the strategic and communal sensitivity of the region, while highlighting the law and order failure. KEY OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS 1. Strategic Sensitivity of West Bengal West Bengal shares an international border with Bangladesh, rendering districts like Murshidabad and Malda particularly vulnerable to cross-border tensions and demographic changes. Political instability and alleged demographic manipulation have exacerbated communal polarisation across the state. 3. Persistent Law and Order Failures Although the state successfully dealt with Left-wing extremism, it has struggled to manage communal violence and ensure basic law and order. Local police forces remain understaffed and poorly equipped, often requiring assistance from central paramilitary forces to restore peace. 4. Cross-Border Infiltration Migration from Bangladesh reportedly surged during political unrest in 2024. The report calls for urgent completion of border fencing and enhancement of surveillance systems. 5. Election-Driven Communal Polarisation With the 2026 elections approaching, communal divisions have deepened due to inflammatory political rhetoric. Political parties are accused of exploiting religious identities to consolidate vote banks. 6. Murshidabad Riots – April 2025 Violence was triggered by protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which intensified after the Act was notified on 8 April. Riots erupted across Murshidabad between 11–12 April, resulting in significant violence, including the targeted killing of a father-son duo in Jafrabad. 7. Ground Zero Observations (18–19 April 2025) Displaced families from Murshidabad were found sheltering in relief camps in Malda. Victims reported police inaction and widespread trauma in affected villages. Locals in Samserganj and other areas strongly demanded the permanent deployment of BSF personnel. 8. Casualties, Arrests, and Property Damage 9. Spread of Violence Communal clashes have expanded from Malda and Murshidabad to other regions including Bhangar, Siliguri, and Cooch Behar. Assurances by the Chief Minister to protect minority communities have failed to de-escalate tensions, indicating deep-rooted communal divides. 10. Structural and Political Drivers The political landscape in West Bengal is increasingly shaped by religious identity. Allegations of hate speech, radicalisation, and demographic engineering are widespread, involving both ruling and opposition parties. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : murshidabad news18 specials Location : Kolkata, India, India First Published: May 04, 2025, 13:45 IST News india Murshidabad Riots: Security Boost To Legislative Steps, A Look At Bengal Governor's Recommendations
