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Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Murshidabad violence: A report names its leaders, leaves TMC with a fresh problem
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal had already been battling accusations of mismanaging the situation in Murshidabad last month when communal violence rocked the border district. Now, providing ammunition to the Opposition, a Calcutta High Court-appointed committee has blamed the local TMC leadership, naming an MLA and a councillor, and alleging that the police were completely inactive. With the Assembly elections less than a year away, the simmering situation in Murshidabad and the outing of the part of the report have allowed the BJP to step up its attack on the TMC and paint it as a party that engages in appeasement politics towards minorities. While earlier it was easier for the TMC to brush off any allegations, given that no specific allegations were raised against its leaders, the report changes that. The leak marks the third setback for the party in the last couple of months. First, the Supreme Court on April 3 upheld the Calcutta High Court's verdict annulling the appointment of 25,753 teachers and ordering the government to initiate a fresh selection process. On May 16, the Supreme Court directed the government to release 25% of the outstanding Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears to its employees within six weeks. The probe report on the Murshidabad violence states that the attacks were 'directed by the local councillor Mehboob Alam …. the local police was completely inactive and absent'. This refers to the anti-Waqf Amendment Act protests that erupted on April 11. According to the committee, the main attack occurred after 2.30 pm when 'Mehboob Alam came with miscreants', among them residents of Samserganj, Hizaltala, Shiulitala, and Digri who were masked. The report alleges that Samserganj MLA Amirul Islam 'came, saw which houses were not attacked, and then the attackers set them ablaze … The villagers of Betbona telephoned, but the West Bengal Police did not respond … The MLA was also present. He saw the vandalism and went away'. Alam, who is the former chairperson of Dhulian municipality, dismissed the allegations. 'I respect the court, but the allegations against me are completely false. The day the incident happened, I was at Kadamtala with four people from the Hindu community. When I saw miscreants running with weapons, I tried to stop them. They chased us and we went to Nadabpara. The Hindu families and I took shelter there and then called the officer in charge of Samserganj police station who did not receive calls at first. Once he picked up my call, he said he would look into it. But he did not do anything. I have helped develop my ward. Is it possible that I will set fire to the ward I helped develop? This is a BJP-RSS conspiracy,' said the TMC leader. Amirul Islam also dismissed the allegations contained in the report. 'I was out there trying to stop the miscreants. I was one of the few party leaders who did it. It was my duty. Later, I toured the area and provided relief to people. This is a conspiracy.' A local Trinamool leader said both Amirul and Alam had prospered under TMC rule. The MLA started as a local teacher but now runs a business, while Alam has ties with the local beedi industry. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the report establishes that Hindus were targeted in the violence and that TMC leaders were involved. 'The attitude of the police, instead of stopping the violence, seems to be ignoring the actions of TMC leaders,' he said. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh dismissed the allegations outright as the BJP's 'political propaganda'. 'What happened in Murshidabad is condemnable, nobody supports it,' Ghosh said, adding that following the violence, the state administration had fulfilled its duties, be it rehabilitation of the victims or making arrests in the matter. 'Another aspect involves the larger conspiracy,' Ghosh said. 'How did outsiders, possibly including those from across the border, enter (the state)? The TMC has been a responsible Opposition. At a time when the country is united in its fight against terror, BJP leaders are busy with propaganda on Murshidabad. This is a part of their conspiracy.'
Scroll.in
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Murshidabad violence: West Bengal police were inactive, says HC-appointed panel
The police were ' completely inactive and absent ' during the communal violence that broke out in West Bengal's Murshidabad in April, a three-member fact-finding committee appointed by the Calcutta High Court to investigate the unrest has found, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday. The committee's report, based on the testimony of those affected by the violence, stated that the police failed to respond to distress calls from residents. It also mentioned that Trinamool Congress leader Mehboob Alam was present at the site of the violence, The Hindu reported. Violence broke out in Murshidabad on April 11 and 12 during protests against amendments to the Waqf Act passed by Parliament on April 4. Three persons were killed in the violence. A waqf is an endowment under Islamic law dedicated to a religious, educational or charitable cause. Each state has a waqf board led by a legal entity vested with the power to acquire, hold and transfer property. The Waqf Amendment Act curbs the authority of waqf boards and allows greater government control over them. Critics allege that the amended law violates the right to equality and the freedom to manage religious affairs. The committee – set up by the division bench of Justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Chowdhury – comprises Joginder Singh, the registrar of the National Human Rights Commission, Satya Arnab Ghosal, member secretary of the West Bengal Legal Services Authority, and Saugata Chakraborty, registrar of the West Bengal Judicial Service. Their report, dated April 27, was submitted to the bench earlier this week. One of the persons affected by the violence told the fact-finding committee that masked men from Samserganj, Hizaltala, Shiulitala and Digri had taken part in the violence, The Hindu reported. The report said that Alam came with the mob on April 11, according to the newspaper. It added that the next day, the Trinamool leader 'saw the vandalism and left'. The committee quoted an affected person as saying that calls were made to the West Bengal Police at 4 pm on both Friday and Saturday, but there was no response. The report mentioned that a mob destroyed a water bottle shop and took away around Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 from its cash box, The Indian Express reported. A shopping mall in Ward 12 was looted and shut down. In Ghoshpara, 29 shops were damaged during the violence. Around 113 houses were severely damaged in the village of Betbona, The Hindu added. So far, there has been no official response from the Trinamool Congress or the West Bengal Police on the report. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier called the violence 'a well-planned conspiracy'. Meanwhile, Trinamool Spokesperson Joy Prakash Majumdar told The Indian Express
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Business Standard
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Murshidabad violence: HC panel blames police, names TMC leader in report
A court-appointed probe committee investigating the violent protests in Murshidabad over the Waqf (Amendment) Act has pointed to grave administrative lapses, including police inaction and the alleged involvement of a Trinamool Congress leader in orchestrating attacks. The three-member panel, formed by the Calcutta High Court on April 17, has submitted its findings, revealing that the main assault occurred on April 11 and was allegedly led by Mehboob Alam, a local councillor from the ruling Trinamool Congress. The report noted that the attacks appeared to be targeted, with homes and shops belonging to Hindu families systematically destroyed. Panel describes Murshidabad April 11 assault and police absence According to the report, the primary assault took place after 2:30 pm on April 11 in Dhulian town and surrounding areas like Samserganj, Hizaltala, Shiulitala and Digri. 'The attacks were directed by the local councillor Mehboob Alam… the local police were completely inactive and absent,' the committee observed. The panel alleged that Alam arrived with miscreants whose faces were covered. As the violence escalated, homes were set on fire. 'Amirul Islam came, saw which houses were not attacked, and then the attackers set them ablaze… The villagers of Betbona telephoned, but the West Bengal Police did not respond… The MLA was also present. He saw the vandalism and went away,' the report noted. To prevent any immediate response, water connections were reportedly severed. In Betbona village alone, 113 houses were the worst affected, with the report stating that 'the homes are destroyed and would not be habitable without thorough re-construction… the women of the village are afraid and have taken shelter with their relatives.' Stabbings and arson reported on April 12 in Murshidabad On April 12, the violence took a gruesome turn when Harogobindo Das and his son Chandan Das were found stabbed to death in their home in Shamsherganj's Jafrabad locality. The panel stated that they were killed by neighbours amid the communal unrest. Shops, malls and temples were ransacked and set ablaze. In Ghoshpara, 29 shops were damaged, while a shopping mall-style market was looted and shut down. 'Grocery shops, hardware shops, electrical and textile stores were destroyed,' the report said. Most of the destruction took place within 300 metres of the local police station. Earlier state report confirms scale of unrest An earlier report submitted by the West Bengal government to the high court also confirmed the scale of the violence. It traced the unrest to protests that began on April 4 across police station areas in Jangipur district. These demonstrations intensified into full-scale violence by April 8, prompting the deployment of central forces on April 11 and additional troops on April 12 as per high court orders. The government report said that the situation was eventually brought under control in areas like Suti, Dhulian, Samserganj and Jangipur through coordinated police and administrative efforts. Calcutta HC recommends rehabilitation and compensation The Calcutta High Court had constituted the panel to assess the ground reality and recommend rehabilitation measures for the affected. The team included Joginder Singh (Registrar, Law, NHRC), Satya Arnab Ghosal (Member Secretary, WBLSA), and Saugata Chakraborty (Registrar, WBJS). The committee emphasised the need for tailored rehabilitation packages, expert valuation of damages, and compensation to help victims rebuild their lives. BJP, TMC trade charges over communal violence in Murshidabad The violence has sparked a political row in West Bengal. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the state government of failing to protect Hindu families, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the violence was 'orchestrated and well-planned'. (With agency inputs)
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
West Bengal turned to 'Taliban state' run by 'modern Jinnah': BJP on Murshidabad violence report
New Delhi: The political storm intensified on Wednesday after a report by a three-member committee of the Calcutta High Court exposed serious lapses by the state police in containing the communal violence that erupted in West Bengal's Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district last month. The BJP launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led government, accusing it of shielding extremists and failing to protect Hindu families. The communal unrest broke out on April 8 in areas like Dhulian, Suti, and Samserganj, with the violence escalating over protests against the newly promulgated Waqf (Amendment) Act. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed only on the night of April 12, following an order from the High Court's special division bench, which observed that the West Bengal government's measures to curb the violence were inadequate. Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, addressing the media, said, "The committee's findings point towards the involvement of local councillor Mehboob Alam, MLAs, and other leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress. Despite his role as a principal conspirator, the police failed to act against him during the violence." According to sources, the report detailed how Mehboob Alam led the mob from 2 p.m. onwards on April 11, actively participating in the violence alongside miscreants while police personnel remained inactive. The High Court committee also named one Amirul Islam, who allegedly directed the attackers towards Hindu homes that were yet to be vandalised and looted. "Mamata Banerjee had blamed outsiders for the violence, but the report shows otherwise. This clearly proves she was lying and must apologise to the people of Bengal," Majumdar said. BJP National Spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS, "India is perhaps the only country where the majority community faces communal persecution. This happens because dangerous elements receive political protection and encouragement. That's what fuels such horrific incidents." Calling West Bengal a "Taliban state," BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh alleged that under Mamata Banerjee's rule, Bengal was being governed not by constitutional principles but by terror and appeasement. "The state is now under the grip of a 'Modern Jinnah' (Mamata Banerjee). When victims' cries are ignored and murderers flourish under political protection, it becomes evident the system has collapsed," Chugh said. He added that the Murshidabad violence was not an isolated riot but a targeted attack on Hindus, orchestrated with the support of the state government. "This massacre was carried out under the protection of Trinamool Congress leaders, and the state government must be held accountable," he said. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the committee's report made it evident that Hindus were specifically targeted in Murshidabad. "The police turned a blind eye while Trinamool Congress leaders incited and led the mobs. The silence of Mamata Banerjee on such targeted violence shows her cruelty and partiality," he said, comparing the incidents to communal attacks from Pahalgam to Murshidabad. The Janata Dal (United) also condemned the West Bengal government. JD(U) National Spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan told IANS, "Mamata Banerjee cannot deny the High Court findings. Her government has become synonymous with anarchy, where political activists, criminals, and police function hand in glove." He added that the political environment in Bengal has become so toxic under the Trinamool Congress's rule that the upcoming elections could see the party facing serious setbacks. "The horror of Murshidabad has exposed how law and order have been sacrificed for political gains," he said. The High Court committee's report further revealed that 113 houses belonging to Hindu families were damaged during the violence. Valuables worth lakhs, including jewellery, cash, livestock, and household items, were looted or destroyed, sources mentioned. The victims reportedly made multiple calls to the police for help, but no action was taken. Shockingly, the local police station was situated just 300 meters from the scene of the violence.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Murshidabad violence: High Court-appointed panel says local police were inactive, absent
The three-member committee formed by the Calcutta High Court to look into last month's violence in Murshidabad has said in its report that police were 'completely inactive'. The report also mentioned local Trinamool Congress leader Mehboob Alam. 'The attacks were directed by the local councillor Mehboob Alam. The local police were completely inactive and absent,' the report said of the violence that took place on April 11. The Calcutta High Court had last month directed the formation of a three-member committee to oversee the rehabilitation of those affected by the violence that broke out in Murshidabad between April 8 and 12 following protests against the Waqf Amendment Bill. The committee comprises Joginder Singh, Registrar, National Human Rights Commission; Satya Arnab Ghosal, member secretary, West Bengal Legal Services Authority; and Saugata Chakraborty, Registrar, WBJS. The committee's report said that miscreants destroyed a waterbottle shop and looted the cash box containing Rs 12,000-13,000. A shopping mall located in ward no 12 was also completely looted and closed, and 29 shops were affected in Ghoshpara, the report said. 'Residents of Samserganj, Hizaltala, Shiulitala, (and) Digri came masking their faces. Local councillor, namely Mehoob Alam, came with the miscreants on April 11. The MLA was also present on Friday (April 11). He saw the vandalism and went away, but the violence continued on April 12, Saturday,' the report said. TMC spokesperson Joy Prakash Majumdar told The Indian Express, 'We do not know anything about such a report. So, I would not like to make any comment.' The Calcutta High Court had on Friday directed the TMC government in the state to 'remunerate and restore' all parties whose lives and properties were affected during the clashes in Murshidabad. The court was hearing a PIL in connection with the violence that broke out between April 8 and 12 in the Jangipur subdivision of Murshidabad, leading to the deaths of three persons, including a father-son duo. A Division Bench of Justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Chowdhury said, 'Compensating the victims by giving each of them Rs 1.20 lakh under the scheme 'Banglar Bari' may not do justice to all as the damaged and destroyed houses, differing in size and constructional features…' The Bench, in its order, also urged the state to consider appeals by local residents for a permanent Border Security Force (BSF) camp in the area and asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to 'continue investigating the issue to bring the perpetrators to justice'.
