BJP slams Mamata Banerjee’s blame game over Murshidabad riots

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is under fire as her administration’s handling of the recent violence in Murshidabad exposes a troubling pattern of governance failures, political deflection, and communal mismanagement.

The unrest, sparked by protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, has left at least three dead and displaced hundreds of Hindu families. As the state grapples with the fallout, the BJP has intensified its demand for Banerjee’s resignation.

The violence in Murshidabad, a Muslim-dominated district, erupted earlier this month, with mobs setting vehicles ablaze, hurling stones at security forces, and targeting Hindu properties.

NewsDrum previously reported that over 150 individuals were arrested, and the Calcutta High Court ordered the “immediate” deployment of five companies of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel to restore order—a clear indictment of the state government’s failure to manage the situation.

In a scathing attack on Banerjee, BJP leader Amit Malviya laid bare the contradictions in her leadership, accusing her of using her official letterhead to deflect blame onto the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while ignoring her administration’s own failures.

Malviya pointed to Banerjee’s open letter, in which she claimed the violence was a “pre-planned” conspiracy by the BJP and RSS, using an “unfortunate incident” as a backdrop for divisive politics.

However, Malviya argued that this narrative was debunked by her own police force, which found no evidence of external provocation.

“West Bengal police were already aware of the rallies. Why, then, were they not stopped in advance? Did mobs, weapons, and stones materialise out of thin air?” Malviya questioned.

Banerjee’s history of deflecting blame is not new. Malviya referenced the 2014 Khagragarh terror blast, where an explosion in a house rented by a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader was linked to Jamaat operatives.

Instead of addressing the involvement of her party’s affiliates, Banerjee hastily blamed the RSS without evidence.

“It seems that whenever her political standing is under threat, she resorts to targeting the Hindu community,” Malviya wrote.

The scale of the violence in Murshidabad paints a grim picture of Banerjee’s governance.

As reported by NewsDrum, over 400 Hindus were forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge in relief camps like Par Lalpur High School in Malda.

Eyewitness accounts shared by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari revealed the desperation of displaced families, with one man alleging that his house was set on fire while police personnel stood by and did nothing.

Her appeal for peace, while condemning riots, fails to acknowledge the state’s failure to prevent known rallies from escalating into violence.

As Malviya noted, the presence of armed mobs with weapons and stones suggests a failure of intelligence and policing, both of which fall under Banerjee’s purview as Home Minister.

Perhaps most troubling is the question of impartiality in the investigation. Despite forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the violence, as reported by NewsDrum, Banerjee’s dual role as Chief Minister and Home Minister raises serious concerns about the probe’s credibility.

“How can Mamata Banerjee be expected to ensure an unbiased investigation into the Murshidabad violence, especially when a Special Investigation Team comprising top state officials has been formed under her own government?” Malviya asked.

Banerjee’s actions also risk being perceived as appeasement. Her meeting with Muslim clerics in Kolkata on April 16, 2025, to “pacify the Muslim community,” was seen as prioritising one community while displaced Hindu families bear the brunt of the violence.

Malviya concluded in his X post, “It is evident that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly misled the public. Accountability is long overdue; Mamata Banerjee must step down.”

Using her official letterhead as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee—who is expected to serve all citizens impartially—is instead blaming the principal opposition party and a non-political organization for her administration’s failures. This, despite her own police… https://t.co/uNkM57JL0g

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 20, 2025