NEW DELHI, Apr 11: The ongoing protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent in Murshidabad and Diamond Harbor in West Bengal on Friday when the protestors hurled stones at the police an set their car on fire.
The Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, came into force on Tuesday but many people from the Muslim community continued to stage protests against the legislation, arguing that it take away personal rights of Muslims.
According to the officials, in Murshidabad a large number of people from Muslim community had gathered after the Friday prayers and started protesting against the Waqf Act. The protests turned violent when they allegedly pelted stones at a police van, which was passing nearby carrying the prisoners. Nearly 10 policemen along with some protestors were injured during the clash.
The violent protestors further blocked the National Highway 12 and pelted stones at police vehicles and set them ablaze and also affected the train services. At least two trains were cancelled and five were diverted due to the violent protests.
The opposition BJP accused the Mamata Banerjee-led government of failing to stop communal violence in the state. The state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said violent anti-Waqf protests have brought the state to a standstill. He further slammed CM Mamata Banerjee saying that her silence was deafening and damning.
“This is not the first time. The state witnessed similar anarchy during the #CAA protests. And what does the Chief Minister @MamataOfficial do? NOTHING. Her silence is deafening—and damning. It proves this violence is happening with her knowledge, if not her direct blessing. This is not governance. This is surrender to extremism for political gain. Mamata Banerjee must be held accountable for this disaster,” he said in a post on X.
“A conspiracy is underway to make Malda, Murshidabad, Dinajpur, Nadia, Birbhum, Howrah districts free of Hindu population… People from Bangladesh are coming here and causing chaos. The Hindu community is being attacked again and again. People are threatened ahead of Ram Navami in Mothabari, Malda,… Murshidabad… Our rally was against that and to warn the government… We carried out a rally to give strength to the Hindu Community here… We wanted to go to the DM office, but the DM had already left… We have presented our point, and if our demands are not met, the protest will continue,” BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said.
West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that 86 shops of Hindus and houses were destroyed and looted during the communal violence. “86 shops of Hindus and houses were destroyed and looted, the 24 people who have been arrested are not those involved in the incident… I tried to go there but was not permitted. They didn’t respect the LoP’s position. I am thankful that the court has allowed me to go there – but asked me to go there alone… I will meet the victim’s families, and I also intend to provide some compensation to them,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, 22 people were arrested in connection with the violence in Murshidabad. Prohibitory orders were clamped in and around Raghunathganj and Suti police station areas following the violence. Stones were hurled targeting the police, and vehicles of the force were set on fire by a mob that blocked the NH-12, demanding the withdrawal of the legislation. “Since Tuesday night, 22 people have been arrested in connection with the violence,” a police official had said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
