Two Bengal BJP MPs write to Amit Shah seeking intervention in Murshidabad situation

IANS April 13, 2025 372 views

Two BJP Lok Sabha members from West Bengal have written urgent letters to Union Home Minister Amit Shah describing volatile communal tensions in Murshidabad district. The MPs claim the local administration has been silent while Hindu communities are being targeted following protests against the Waqf Amendment Act. They have requested immediate Central intervention, including deployment of Central Armed Police Forces and a high-level investigation team. The letters echo a recent Calcutta High Court observation that the state government's measures to control the unrest were inadequate.

"The tragic silence of the administration, deliberate targeting of a religious community, propaganda-driven unrest" - Jyotirmay Singh Mahato
Kolkata, April 13: Two BJP Lok Sabha members from West Bengal, on Sunday, wrote separate letters to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking intervention in the prevailing tension in Murshidabad district which has been on the boil for the last few days after protests against the recently promulgated Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent and targetted Hindus.

Key Points

1

BJP MPs allege administrative failure in controlling Murshidabad communal tensions

2

High Court criticizes West Bengal government's response

3

Calls for Central intervention and CAPF deployment

4

Compares situation to Kashmiri Pandit exodus

The two MPs who wrote letters to HM Shah are Jagannath Sarkar from the Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituency in the Nadia district and Jyotirmay Singh Mahato from the Purulia constituency.

In his letter to the Union Home Minister, Sarkar accused the state administration in West Bengal of remaining silent when the tension broke out.

Sarkar’s points in the letter were echoes of the observations made by a special division bench of Calcutta High Court on Saturday evening that measures taken by the West Bengal government to control communal unrest in the Murshidabad district during the last few days were not adequate.

While ordering the immediate deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel in Murshidabad, the special division bench also observed that had the CAPF deployment been earlier, the situation would not have been so “grave” and “volatile”.

In his letter, Sarkar also requested HM Shah to deploy a high-level “investigating and monitoring” team from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to assess the ground realities in Murshidabad and other troubled pockets in the state.

Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, in his letter to HM Shah, claimed that the fear, isolation, and targeted violence that Bengali Hindus in these districts are facing currently “echoes the Kashmiri Pandit exodus” in the 1990s.

“The tragic silence of the administration, deliberate targeting of a religious community, propaganda-driven unrest are all too familiar,” Mahato said in the letter.

He also urged the Union Home Minister to consider declaring the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in certain districts in West Bengal which are having International Borders with Bangladesh, namely Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, and South 24 Parganas, under Section 3 of the AFSPA Act, 1958.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is deeply concerning. The state government needs to act decisively to protect all citizens regardless of religion. The comparison to Kashmiri Pandits is chilling - we can't let history repeat itself. 🙏
P
Priya M.
While I agree the situation needs attention, invoking AFSPA seems extreme. There must be better ways to restore peace without militarizing civilian spaces. The MPs should focus on dialogue first.
A
Amit S.
The High Court's observation says it all - state administration failed in its duty. Central intervention is absolutely necessary when local authorities can't maintain law and order.
S
Sunita R.
As someone from Murshidabad, I appreciate the MPs speaking up. The tension here is real, but I wish politicians wouldn't use such charged language. We need solutions, not more polarization.
D
Deepak B.
The Waqf Amendment Act seems to have become a flashpoint. Maybe the government should reconsider the timing of such reforms when tensions are already high in border areas.
N
Nandini P.
Why is this only being reported now? The situation has been building for weeks. Media needs to be more proactive about covering tensions before they explode into violence.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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Tags:
Amit Shah BJP West Bengal Murshidabad Communal Tensions Waqf Act Jagannath Sarkar Jyotirmay Singh Mahato
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