Tension in Bengal as protests, violence break out over Waqf Act

Kolkata, April 11 (IANS) Tension has broken out in at least two pockets of West Bengal in Friday afternoon following protests by members of a particular religious community against the recently promulgated Waqf Amendment Act.

Tension prevailed at Nimtita and Suti in minority-dominated Murshidabad district on Friday, following clashes between the protesters and the security personnel. At Nimtita railway station, the protesters blocked the railway tracks for long hours and also vandalised the railway properties.

The RPF personnel later had to resort to cane-charge to bring the situation under control. The protesters also pelted stones towards the security personnel, some of whom were injured.

Later, the BSF personnel were deployed in the area and as per the latest information available the situation there is more or less under control.

Similarly, clashes broke out between the protesters and the state police personnel at Sajur Crossing area under Suti police station in Murshidabad district on Friday, as the protesters reportedly hurled stones and crude bombs towards the police personnel from a protest rally.

In that incident, a number of police personnel and some pedestrians were also injured. The police personnel thereafter retaliated and resorted to cane-charge to dispel the violent mob.

Additional police forces had been deployed in the area to keep the situation under control. However, tension prevailed in the area till the time of filing of this report.

Similar tension broke at Amtala area in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal as people protesting against the Waqf Act attacked the local police personnel there. As the police also retaliated, massive tension broke out in the area which in turn impacted the traffic at National Highway 117 for quite some time.

The situation was similar at Champdani in Hooghly district of West Bengal. The leader of the opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari had claimed that the state had been witnessing large scale violence, anarchy and lawlessness in the name of protests, by a certain group of radicals.

“These people, who have clearly stated that they are against the Constitution of India and would oppose the law of the land, have taken over the streets. Public and private properties are being vandalised at will. Public safety has been compromised as general people are at the mercy of these ruthless mobs of radicals,” he said.

The office of the Governor C.V. Ananda Bose contacted the office of the Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and conveyed the message from the Governor that the police should adopt prompt and strict measures to keep the situation under control.

Later, the Governor issued a video message claiming that been receiving disturbing reports about some people taking law and order in their hands in some parts of Bengal. He also informed that on receipt of information about certain troubles likely to brew in certain parts of West Bengal, he had a confidential discussion with the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“Even today, when some of the disturbances broke out, discussions were held with the government authorities. The Chief Secretary has assured that the government is taking very stern action against the miscreants and will not allow disturbances to escalate. The state is prepared. All action will be taken against miscreants. Nobody will be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” the Governor added.

--IANS

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