A National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team visited a relief camp in Malda on Friday to meet with those displaced by the Murshidabad riots, while Governor CV Ananda Bose defied Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's request to delay his visit and set out for the district. His trip led the TMC to accuse the BJP of attempting to provoke further unrest in the area.
The NHRC team visited Par Lalpur High School in Malda, where hundreds of displaced individuals have been taking shelter since communal violence erupted in Murshidabad on April 11 and 12. The violence followed protests against amendments to the Central Government’s Waqf (Amendment) Act.
The NHRC took suo motu cognizance of the violence and sent a fact-finding team due to the gravity of the situation. The commission has requested a detailed inquiry report within three weeks.
Reports confirm that three individuals were killed during the violence, which spread across Muslim-majority areas in Murshidabad, including Shamsherganj, Suti, Dhulian, and Jangipur. Many residents, fearing for their lives, fled to neighboring Malda and sought refuge in makeshift relief camps.
Despite the CM’s request to delay his visit, Governor Bose proceeded to Malda to meet with the victims and assess the situation. He told reporters, “I am going to the field. I will visit hospitals, victims’ homes, and relief camps to verify the reports we’ve received from the ground. Central forces and state police are working together to restore normalcy, and I will submit my recommendations after meeting with the victims.” He added that he would later visit Murshidabad after his Malda visit.
Meanwhile, Vijaya Rahatkar, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), began a two-day tour of Malda and Murshidabad to assess the impact of the violence on women and review rehabilitation efforts. Rahatkar expressed concerns about the treatment of women in the affected areas and the relief camps.
"The NCW has formed an inquiry committee. We will meet with victims and assess the situation before submitting a detailed report," she said. The NCW team plans to meet district officials, victims, and eventually visit the Governor, Chief Secretary, and DGP in Kolkata.
The ruling TMC sharply criticised the Governor and the visiting central teams, accusing them of trying to destabilise the situation for political reasons.
Also Read: Bengal govt tells HC: Situation under control in Murshidabad
TMC MP Sougata Roy said, "When the CM had requested him, the Governor should have honored it. His intention is to create tensions and trouble in the area. The NCW and NHRC teams are also visiting to help the BJP stir more trouble and do not want to restore normalcy."
In response, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar claimed that the TMC was nervous because the visits by the NHRC and the Governor might expose the "nexus between the TMC and the rioters." He accused the TMC of protecting the culprits for vote-bank politics.
Tensions briefly flared at the Par Lalpur camp, where residents surrounded district officials, alleging that they were being pressured to leave the camp. One camp resident said, "Life in this camp is no better than prison. They’re trying to force us to return home, but it’s still unsafe. We want BSF camps in our localities in Dhulian before we consider going back."
Security has been heightened in the affected areas, with paramilitary forces deployed alongside state police. So far, 274 individuals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the violence.
The communal clashes in Murshidabad began during protests by sections of the Muslim community against the Waqf Act amendments, which they argue would centralise and misuse Muslim charitable properties.
Also Read: NCW chief to meet riot-affected women in WB's Murshidabad
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