Mamata says Murshidabad violence ‘pre-planned’, asks PM to rein in Shah

“We will find out the original culprits. We know how the BSF used some persons, especially minor boys, giving them Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000,” the chief minister said and added that the chief secretary has been told to probe the role of the border force.

In a scathing attack against Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah, whom she accused of “harming the nation most for his own political agenda”, the chief minister requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in his Cabinet colleague. “They (BJP) have a lot of money and massive propaganda machinery working to defame Bengal. Most of these are being controlled by Shah. I have never taken his name before, but if the home minister starts behaving like Kalidas — cutting the very branch he is sitting on — then we are compelled to speak out,” she said.

“I would request the PM to keep a check on Shah. He is harming the country most to serve his political interests. Why is he (Shah) in such a hurry? He will never become the PM. What will you do when the government will change within one year and Narendra Modi will not be the prime minister? You will crawl,” she said.

“The PM must see how his home minister is misusing central agencies. PM Modi must control him… He can’t change India and can’t divide India,” Banerjee said, accusing Shah of “controlling all Central agencies”.

Questioning the Centre’s move to enact the contentious Waqf law despite the “volatile situation” in neighbouring Bangladesh, the chief minister said: “I want to challenge and ask the Government of India: why the haste in pushing through the Waqf Amendment Act? Were you unaware of the tense situation in Bangladesh? Bengal shares borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Hold meetings with Muhammad Yunus, sign pacts and agreements. I will welcome anything that benefits the country. But what is your plan: sparking riots through certain agencies that facilitate movement of people from across the border?” she asked.

Last week, Mamata Banerjee had announced that the Waqf Amendment Act wouldn’t be implemented in Bengal.

Calling the newly enacted law “atrocious” and “anti-federal”, the chief minister urged Prime Minister Modi not to implement the Waqf Act.

Hitting back at her Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath, Banerjee called him the “biggest bhogi” (a materialistic person), a day after the BJP leader launched a blistering attack on her.

“Yogi (Adityanath) is saying big things. He is the biggest ‘bhogi’. How many people died in the Maha Kumbh stampede? Did he publish the correct figures of how many people died? So many are killed in police encounters in Uttar Pradesh. He doesn’t even allow peaceful rallies. In Bengal, people enjoy freedom,” Banerjee said.

Her comments came a day after the UP CM accused the TMC chief of maintaining silence even as “Bengal is burning”, referring to the Murshidabad violence.

Banerjee also indirectly accused the Congress of fomenting trouble in the district. “Where the incident happened that doesn’t fall under Murshidabad. That is under Malda. Malda was won by Congress, and their representatives should be there. Our party leaders not involved in the riots. If they were, then our three MLAs house would not have faced attacks.”

At the meeting attended by Muslim clerics, religious leaders from the Sikh community and representatives of Sanatani Brahman Trust, the chief minister also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the family of the victims of last Friday’s attack. “The state government will give homes to those whose houses have been damaged under the Banglar Bari scheme and pay Rs 10 lakh each for the families whose members were killed. Those whose shops were vandalised, our chief secretary will assess the damage and compensate,” the CM said.

BJP defends BSF, Shah; Cong, Left call CM’s remark ‘hypocritical’

Meanwhile, the Opposition held the CM responsible for the violence and questioned her failure to visit the affected areas.

Demanding her resignation, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said: “The CM is blaming the BSF and the central agencies for the violence. But in reality, her police and administration failed to protect Hindus and allowed the mayhem to continue. On the other hand, it was the BSF that stepped in and prevented the situation from worsening. She should have some courage to speak the truth.”

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said that Banerjee’s criticism of Union Amit Shah is “unwarranted” as he “earned the praise of crores of Indians for effectively handling the security of the country”.

“By criticising Shah, the CM has exposed herself before the common people of the country as Shah practises a no-nonsense approach towards militancy and jihadi activities,” he said.

Slamming Banerjee, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said despite winning from several assembly and Lok Sabha seats in Murshidabad district, the TMC lawmakers failed to contain the violence and some even had to flee their homes.

The former Berhampore MP and ex-president of state Congress said, “You (CM) are issuing statements from Kolkata about the violence but haven’t been able to visit the affected areas — Samserganj, Suti, Dhulian, Jangipur – to date.” “Your MPs and MLAs, who make tall claims on other occasions, are not seen with the affected people at this time of crisis,” he added.

Chowdhury said despite losing in recent polls, Congress leaders and workers are standing beside the affected people and he had himself visited some areas.

“You (Mamata) profess the politics of division which has led to this situation. There are things beyond politics. It is called humanity. Congress will never leave the field, irrespective of its electoral loss or victory,” he said.

CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said Banerjee’s call to the INDIA bloc to unitedly fight against communalism and religious bigotry is “hypocritical”.

“On one hand, she is setting up Jagannath temple (in Digha), and on the other she is cosying up to fundamentalist forces in border areas. Why did her administration take so much time to contain the violence in Murshidabad in the initial stages? She is pursuing dangerous vote-bank politics,” the CPI(M) leader alleged.

He asserted that the CPI(M), which is also an INDIA bloc constituent, is serious about fighting communalism.

“Will the CM explain why some of her party colleagues abstained during debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament?” he asked.

“The TMC is yet to make it clear whether it will support any legal step against the passage of Waqf (Amendment) Act,” he said.

With PTI