BJP shielded people who incited violence last month, says CM Mamata over Murshidabad incident

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday sought to turn the table on the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party over the recent communal clashes in Murshidabad, accusing the saffron party of spreading the virus of communalism in the country.

She alleged that the communal clashes in Murshidabad were the result of a conspiracy to disturb the communal harmony in West Bengal. She alleged that the BJP was shielding the people who had incited the violence last month. She also criticised the Centre for allegedly failing to protect the country’s borders.

“I want peace, not riots. West Bengal is known for its communal harmony, and we will protect that at any cost. I want to ask them (BJP), why is this heavily loaded virus being spread to create communal tension and sell the country?” Banerjee told journalists after reaching Baharampur on the first day of her visit to Murshidabad, where the protest against the new Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, turned violent and led to communal clashes on April 11 and 12. “Those who incite riots are enemies of Bengal.”

The chief minister said that she would expose the masterminds of the violence and communal clashes in the state.

Three people were killed, and several others, including cops, were injured, as the protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, turned violent in Murshidabad and some other places in West Bengal in India on April 11 and 12.

The protesters clashed with the police personnel, burnt government vehicles and ransacked government offices. The protests also led to communal clashes, and houses and shops were set ablaze at Suti, Samserganj, Dhulian and Jangipur in Murshidabad, forcing hundreds of people to flee and take refuge in Malda.

The normalcy started returning to Murshidabad since April 13, with paramilitary forces joining police in maintaining law and order.

Banerjee alleged that she wanted to meet the members of the family of Haragobinda Das and his son Chandan Das, who had been hacked to death by a mob during the clashes, but the BJP leaders had shifted them. “Is this not kidnapping? What harm would it have caused had I met them and handed over cheques (of the compensation from the state government)?” she wondered. “Some outsiders and a few religious leaders are trying to incite violence and animosity among communities. They take political advantage and escape. They are irreligious leaders. They are enemies of Murshidabad and Bengal.”

She said that she had listened to the people from both the Hindu and the Muslim communities.

The chief minister also criticised the Border Security Force personnel for firing on the mob on April 11, adding that had they not fired, the situation would not have escalated the next day.

"Instead of indulging in communal violence, please take care of the borders. Please take care of India. We love India, it is our motherland. Please save the country from any disaster,” the TMC supremo said. “Please give justice to those who have lost their dear ones. Do not do nasty and dirty politics,” she added, referring to the terrorist attacks in J&K.