Kolkata:
Three people were killed in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district following violent clashes linked to ongoing protests against the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, the police said on Saturday.
118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence that broke out in Muslim-majority Murshidabad district on Friday.
Among those dead, two were killed in clashes while one man was killed in firing, Additional Director General (ADG), Law and Order, Jawed Shamim said.
A special bench of the Calcutta High Court ordered deployment of Central Forces in Jangipur.
Soon after, the Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan held a video conference with Chief Secretary and DGP of West Bengal. The DGP briefed the Secretary that the situation was tense but under control and was being monitored closely.
Mr Mohan stated that apart from nearly 300 BSF personnel locally available in Murshidabad, additional 5 Companies have been deployed at the request of the state government.
The Centre, said Mr Mohan, is also closely monitoring the situation and has assured the state all possible assistance.
In another development, at least 18 police personnel were injured as a protest rally demanding the rollback of the Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent in Tripura’s Unakoti district today.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has declared that her state would not implement the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
“We have made our position clear on this matter – we do not support this law. This law will not be implemented in our state. So what is the riot about?” she said in a post on X.
Her post comes at a time when several pockets in the state, especially in the minority-dominated Murshidabad district, have been on the boil for the last few days over the protests against the Waqf Act.
The Chief Minister has appealed for peace and harmony, underlining that the law was enacted by the central government. Ms Banerjee cautioned against political misuse of religion and warned of legal action against those inciting riots.
“Remember, we did not make the law that many are agitating against. The law was made by the central government. So the answer you want should be sought from the central government,” the Chief Minister added.
MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, also made an appeal for calm and claimed that some forces are trying to “spread unrest in Bengal”.
“After failing to fight us politically on the issue of development, many are trying to spread unrest in Bengal by sowing divisions in the name of religion. I appeal to all today to maintain peace and uphold Bengal’s legacy of harmony. We must all be alert and aware. Some people want Bengal to burn,” said the MP from Diamond Harbour.
Several vehicles, including police vans, were set on fire, stones were thrown at security forces, and roads were blocked as violence erupted in Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts during protests over the new legislation yesterday.
Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar cautioned the agitators that the state police will not tolerate any attempts to disrupt law and order in the name of the protests.
State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar urged the Trinamool government to strictly enforce the rule of law in Murshidabad.
Asserting that when the BJP comes to power in West Bengal, “such vandalism by a section of minorities will be crushed in five minutes”, he alleged that the “appeasement-driven state administration was not taking appropriate steps”.
Mr Majumdar claimed that the violence might have been orchestrated to divert focus from the spontaneous protests over the Supreme Court invalidating the jobs of 26,000 school teachers.
Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi has blamed the BJP for the violence, claiming that the unrest in Murshidabad was a direct consequence of the Centre’s alleged interference in religious matters.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on April 2 and 3, respectively. It was passed in both Houses and later received the President’s assent, after which it became a law. On April 5, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
While the Opposition has been protesting against the Waqf Act, the BJP has launched a ‘Waqf Reforms Awareness Campaign’, which will run from April 20 to May 5. The initiative will tell the benefits of the Waqf Act to the Muslim community.
