‘Pretends to be secular’: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accuses Mamata Banerjee of ‘drama’ over Murshidabad violence

The Congress leader alleged that riots are happening in Bengal because the TMC government wants it

Published on: Apr 14, 2025, 24:50:43 IST

By HT News Desk

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Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of “doing drama” over the recent violence in Murshidabad district linked to protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act that has killed three people, leading to over 150 arrests.

The former MP from Murshidabad's Berhampore said that the chief minister “pretends to be secular” and accused her of giving the BJP an opportunity to call common Muslims jihadis. (HT File)

The former MP from Murshidabad's Berhampore said that the chief minister “pretends to be secular” and accused her of giving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an opportunity to call common Muslims jihadis.

ALSO READ | Central forces, police contain violence in Murshidabad; TMC-BJP tussle escalates

“We all know that the BJP will do communal polarisation. The West Bengal chief minister is doing drama, she pretends to be secular. The Bengal government is giving the BJP an opportunity to call common Muslims jihadis, and who benefits from this? The TMC and the BJP benefit from this,” Chowdhury told ANI.

“I believe riots happen where the government wants. Once it happened in Godhra because the government wanted it. It is happening in Bengal too because the government wants it,” he said, adding that his party is “trying to ensure peace” from outside.

The opposition BJP has also criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government for allegedly failing to uphold its constitutional responsibility, particularly in the violence-hit Murshidabad district. The party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the violence is being used as a distraction from the school selection commission (SSC) scam.

Mamata Banerjee on Murshidabad violence

Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked members of the Muslim community not to get provoked over the new Waqf law, saying she would protect them and their properties. The TMC leader said she would not allow anything in the state “that will lead to a divide and rule”.

The chief minister also said her government could not immediately take any step toward the new law. “This is not the time to hurry. Look across the border and see the situation in Bangladesh. Doing something in a hurry may lead to trouble. It is a problem for me that we have 33% of people from the minority community. Should I drive them out? How can I do that? They have been here since Independence,” she said.

17 companies of central paramilitary force were deployed in Murshidabad district following an order of the Calcutta high court on Saturday. BSF DIG Nilotpal Kumar Pandey said on Sunday that the situation in the West Bengal district remained tense but under control.

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HT News Desk
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