Muslim mobs have been organising violent demonstrations in different parts of West Bengal against the recently implemented Waqf Act, which has been portrayed as an ant-Muslim law by several Muslim leaders as well as opposition parties, including the TMC. Amidst the ongoing violence in the state, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has voiced her opinion in support of Muslims agitating against the Waqf Act. Promising to protect the Waqf properties, Banerjee assured the Muslims in her state, “Please remember, when Didi is here, Didi will protect you and your properties”. Banerjee made the remarks on Wednesday (9th April), while speaking at an event of the Jain community in Kolkata.
#WATCH | Kolkata | During 'Navkar Mahamantra Divas' program, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, ".. .I want to tell the people from the minority community that I know that you are pained by Waqf property but have faith that there will be no divide and rule in Bengal. You should… pic.twitter.com/9QAMBK1EEO
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2025
Banerjee had earlier said that the Waqf Act will be repealed once the BJP led government in the centre goes out of power. “Once this government (BJP-led National Democratic Alliance) goes out of power and a new one comes to power, this bill will be nullified,” Banerjee said, speaking against the legislation. The TMC-ruled state has witnessed numerous incidents of violence led by Muslim mobs in several areas, including Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, and Berhampore, over the past few days.
Stones pelted and vehicles torched in Murshidabad
In what began as a demonstration against the Waqf Act, mobs of Muslims pelted stones and torched vehicles in several areas of the Murshidabad district, including Jangipur and Umarpur, on Tuesday (8th April). The violent mob clashed with the security forces and pelted stones at them on the National Highway 12. Several police personnel sustained injuries in the stone pelting. The security forces had to use force and tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
Restrictions were imposed by the district administration in the Raghunathganj and the Suti police station areas, including a market shutdown and suspension of internet services. Teams of over 800 police personnel have been deployed in the district to prevent any law and order situation. “Prohibitory orders have been clamped across all sensitive areas, and it will continue till 6 pm on Thursday, April 10. The state secretariat has also ordered that all Internet facilities will remain suspended within the limits of the Jangipur subdivision till 6 pm on April 11. This step has been taken to prevent the spread of any misinformation and panic. The situation is now under control,” said a senior district police officer was quoted as saying.
Jangipur SP Ananda Roy said that the police have arrested 22 people in connection with the violence in which 2 police vehicles were set on fire. 8 out of the arrested persons have been taken into police custody. An investigation is being carried out by the police. “Violence erupted here yesterday. There had been a law and order problem. The Police took action and made arrests. 163 BNSS is in effect here. The internet is suspended here. Things are under control…Stone pelting had indeed occurred. Two police vehicles of the Police were torched. We have taken all legal actions. 22 miscreants have been arrested, 8 of them are being taken into Police custody for further investigation, a case has been registered,” said SP Roy.
#WATCH | Jangipur (West Bengal) violence | Jangipur SP Ananda Roy says, "Violence erupted here yesterday. There had been a law and order problem, Police took action and made arrests. 163 BNSS is in effect here. Internet is suspended here. Things are under control…Stone pelting… pic.twitter.com/mzVraanIep
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2025
State governor C.V. Ananda Bose has sought a report from the state government on the incidents of violence in the Murshidabad district.
Muslim mob chases police personnel in Nadia
Similar incidents of violence were alleged to have taken place in the Kanai Nagar area of the Nadia district on Tuesday (8th April). BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya shared some videos of violence on X, claiming that Islamist mobs attacked police personnel in the area. Malviya accused the Mamata Banerjee government of not just enabling the violence and failing to protect the police in the state. The video posted by Malviya showed a mob chasing a police officer who managed to save himself by taking shelter in a petrol pump.
“The situation in Kanai Nagar, Nadia, in West Bengal, last evening was nothing short of horrific. Incited by Mamata Banerjee, Islamist mobs launched a violent attack on the police. In a desperate attempt to save their lives, police personnel were forced to take shelter at a nearby petrol pump. Despite the gravity of the incident, Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the portfolio of Home Minister, is choosing to mislead the public with diversionary statements about the Waqf Board, rather than addressing the breakdown of law and order. She has failed to even safeguard her own police force. It is time for police personnel across West Bengal to stand up against this political misuse of the force and work to restore law and order in the state, ” Malviya wrote on X.
The situation in Kanai Nagar, Nadia in West Bengal, last evening was nothing short of horrific.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 9, 2025
Incited by Mamata Banerjee, Islamist mobs launched a violent attack on the police. In a desperate attempt to save their lives, police personnel were forced to take shelter at a nearby… pic.twitter.com/4BAWkduts8
Islamist mob blocked trains in Malda
In the Nimtita railway station in Malda, Mulsim mobs protesting against the Waqf Act reportedly blocked trains for hours on Monday (7th April). The protestors stopped the Azimganj-Malda passenger train at Nimtita station. A press release by the Railway Malda Division said that protestors also blocked trains at Sujnipara. The situation was brought under control after the intervention of the Railway Police Force (RPF).
West Bengal is on the brink—and Mamata Banerjee lit the fuse.
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) April 7, 2025
Her inflammatory comments on the Waqf Act have once again handed the streets over to violent Islamist mobs. In Malda’s Nimtita Station, radicals screamed “Allahu Akbar” while blocking trains for hours. Not a single… pic.twitter.com/hzClqrlkDb
The recent instances of mob violence in West Bengal against the Waqf Act paint a picture strikingly similar to the anti-CAA protests that started in December 2019 in Murshidabad. The anti-CAA protests also began with violent demonstrations in which ‘protestors’ set ablaze a railway station complex in Murshidabad and assaulted RPF personnel at Beldanga railway station. Similar instances of vandalising train stations and obstructing trains were reported from different areas of West Bengal. The protests soon escalated into the horrifying 2020 anti-Hindu riots in Delhi. From the anti-CAA protests to the anti-Waqf Act protests, it seems that West Bengal has been providing a perfect breeding ground for violence led by Islamist mobs on the pretext of opposing one legislation or the other.
