TMC Leaders Deflect, Deny, and Blame Victims as Murshidabad Burns Over Waqf Act Violence
- MGMMTeam
- Apr 15
- 5 min read
Various regions of West Bengal, particularly the Murshidabad district, witnessed prolonged violence as extremist groups targeted Hindus living in predominantly Muslim areas, using the anti-Waqf Amendment Act as a pretext. Hindu families suffered violent attacks, including their homes being set on fire, possessions looted, drinking water poisoned, and women, including minors, being molested by Islamists. The attackers issued threats of death and rape, blaming the victims for the passage of the legislation.
Three individuals were killed, including 70-year-old Hargobind Das and his 40-year-old son Chandan Das, who were brutally hacked to death in Dhulian, Shamsherganj. The violence escalated to the point where Hindus, particularly women, were forced to flee their homes with their newborns, seeking safety from the ruthless extremists. The police and Border Security Force (BSF) also became targets, enduring stone pelting and having their vehicles set on fire, with several officers sustaining injuries during the attacks.
The Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of Central Armed Forces in the affected areas. The state government reports that over 150 individuals have been arrested so far. Meanwhile, as the state was engulfed in communal violence, members of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) focused on minimizing the incidents, shifting blame to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and even Hindus from other states, alleging a conspiracy.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the public not to fall for rumors or engage in any unlawful activities in the name of religion, warning that those who provoke violence will face consequences. As anticipated, she also criticized the BJP-led central government for implementing the law. “Remember, we did not make the law that many are agitated against. The law was made by the central government. So the answer you want should be sought from the central government,” she announced.
She reiterated that the legislation would not be enforced in the state and questioned, “What is the riot about?” She further accused, “Some political parties are trying to misuse religion for political gain. Do not give in to their persuasion,” subtly targeting the BJP.
It is important to note that statements like hers regarding the anti-Waqf Act only fueled the violent mobs. Rather than confronting the real instigators of the unrest, she predictably took the opportunity to score political points by naming the BJP.
Mahua Moitra, often more known for her controversies than her work in Parliament, posted a video, pleading with the rioters to stop. This outspoken leader, who presents herself as a staunch feminist and a fierce critic of majoritarianism, seemed to lose her voice when it came to addressing the oppression of Hindu minorities in Murshidabad. It appears that catering to the Muslim vote-bank has rendered even the most "fearless" leaders silent.
Former journalist turned TMC Rajya Sabha MP, Sagarika Ghosh, quickly accused the saffron party when reports and videos surfaced showing Muslim fanatics engaging in widespread violence. She referred to BJP members as "saffron goons" and claimed they were "up against the best law enforcement in the country." She praised the state’s police force as "among the best" and declared, “BJP will fail.” However, many victims reported that authorities failed to protect them as jihadi mobs descended on their communities.
The TMC leader then shared a post about the arrests made after the violence, praising her state government while again blaming the BJP for inciting violence ahead of elections. She stated, "The people of Bengal have rejected the politics of communal polarisation in the past, and will reject it again."
She went on to cite an interview where someone blamed outsiders for the violence in the state and accused "Godi media" of concealing the truth. She even suggested that young Hindu men disguised themselves as Muslims and infiltrated Bengal, all the while ignoring the numerous victim testimonies about Muslim mobs targeting them and leaving them destitute.
Social media users uncovered that the post was fabricated, pointing out the lack of credible sources or information on Hindu involvement, and revealing that the report relied solely on an unverified internal inquiry from a newspaper often seen as “TMC’s mouthpiece.”
Another TMC leader and former Rajya Sabha MP, Jawhar Sircar, shared a video showing Hindus celebrating with saffron flags, lamenting, “This is not the India I was born into,” despite his own state being in turmoil for days. The people in the video were peacefully celebrating, without causing harm or disruption, yet the mere display of assertive Hindu identity seems to offend these so-called "secular" politicians.
He would never dare to share footage of Muslim mobs wreaking havoc with the same level of concern. It has become increasingly convenient for these politicians to criticize Hindus while ignoring the violence carried out by their favored community in the state.
West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim went even further, downplaying the violence by suggesting that the Hindus who stayed in the state, rather than fleeing, proved the community’s safety. By this logic, one might also argue that the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits didn’t occur in the valley, since many fled to Jammu for their own protection. He also claimed that the act would not be enforced in the state, urging people to protest in the national capital where it had passed.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh even involved the BSF in his party’s internal politics, alleging that “Some miscreants entered, created chaos and were given safe passage to return. I use the words ‘border’ and ‘with the help of a section of BSF,’ whether it is true or not, there is a need for proper investigation. The local people are not finding any known faces. Who are the masterminds? Police are taking some steps against some people. But from where did the main masterminds come from and where did they go?”
He claimed that there are allegations of a deeply rooted conspiracy, allegedly involving the BSF, aimed at destabilizing the West Bengal administration and inciting unrest to serve the political interests of the BJP and other parties. “BJP has no issue here. You see in the post of BJP, they have used some pictures. We have pointed out most of the pictures are from other states, and they are using it as Murshidabad,” he added.
The TMC and its leaders have downplayed the struggles of the Hindu community, which was abandoned to fend for itself during Mamata Banerjee's rule. Lok Sabha MP Bapi Halder dismissed the anti-Hindu violence in Murshidabad as a "minor issue" and even issued a threat, saying, "If someone dares to eye Waqf properties, gouge their eyes out and break their hands," in an attempt to win favor with his Muslim voters.
When these leaders aren't condemning the persecution of Hindus, they are inciting their fervent supporters to take to the streets. “If want to create jams in Kolkata, we can easily get groups of 2000 people in 50 places to block traffic. We have not done it yet, but it will happen later. After the districts, we will tighten our grip on Kolkata. There will be 10,000 people each at 50 places in Kolkata. They will come, sit and eat puffed rice, jaggery, and sweets, they won’t have to do anything else,” another minister, Siddiqullah Chowdhury, issued a threat while calling for the withdrawal of the act.
The Waqf Amendment Act has faced legal challenges in the Supreme Court after its approval by Parliament and President Droupadi Murmu. However, the false propaganda spread by opposition and Muslim leaders led to violence, with Hindus suffering the most, similar to the anti-Hindu riots in Delhi in 2020.
Comments