Waqf Act Protests Turn Deadly in Bengal: 3 Dead, 150 Arrested; BJP Alleges Hindus Fleeing Murshidabad

Violence erupts across Muslim-majority Murshidabad over the Waqf Amendment Act. Calcutta High Court deploys central forces as BJP blames TMC for “appeasement politics.”

Kolkata, April 13:
Tensions flared in Murshidabad district of West Bengal this week as violent protests over the Waqf Amendment Act left three people dead and over 150 arrested. The unrest prompted the Calcutta High Court to step in, ordering the deployment of central forces to restore law and order in the volatile region.

Also Read: Violent Protests Over Waqf Act Rock West Bengal; Railway Tracks Blocked, Police Injured

Top Developments:

1. Communal Clashes Erupt Over New Law
   The violence erupted in Suti, Dhulian, Samserganj, and Jangipur after Parliament passed the Waqf Amendment Bill, which introduces sweeping changes to the management of Waqf properties.
2. High Court Calls Situation ‘Grave and Volatile’
   The Calcutta High Court, taking suo motu cognisance, observed that the unrest had reached dangerous proportions and emphasized the need for judicial intervention. “Constitutional Courts cannot be mute spectators,” the bench stated, directing central forces to ensure public safety.
3. CM Mamata Banerjee Distances State from Bill
   West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed for peace, stating that the Centre, not the state, enacted the legislation. She reiterated that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) does not support the amended law.
4. BJP Alleges Religious Persecution
   Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused the TMC of appeasement politics, alleging that over 400 Hindus have fled from Murshidabad. “Hindus are being hunted… This is their own land, and they are running for their lives,” he claimed, calling it religious persecution.
5. Governor, Police, and Political Fallout
   Governor CV Ananda Bose welcomed the High Court’s directive and said it was a timely intervention. State DGP Rajeev Kumar added that what began as peaceful demonstrations turned violent, involving stone-pelting, arson, and eventual communal flare-ups.
6. Backdrop of Teacher Recruitment Crisis
   The Waqf Act agitation comes amid another challenge for the Mamata government — 26,000 school teachers’ appointments have been annulled by the Supreme Court, sparking mass protests and adding pressure on the state administration ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.

Also Read: Centre Files Caveat in Supreme Court as Waqf Act, 2025 Comes Into Effect

Tags:

Waqf Act protests, Bengal riots, Murshidabad violence, Mamata Banerjee news, Suvendu Adhikari BJP, Hindu-Muslim tension, Waqf Amendment Bill, West Bengal Assembly elections, communal violence Bengal, Calcutta High Court order