BJP Lok Sabha MP from West Bengal, Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He requested that certain border districts in the state be declared “disturbed areas” under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). He made this appeal following recent violent protests in Murshidabad district over the Waqf Amendment Act. These protests led to clashes with police, stone-pelting, and the burning of police vehicles.
Repeated Attacks on Hindus Claimed
In his letter, Mahato claimed that Hindu families have been under repeated attack in several districts, including Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, and South 24 Parganas.
He wrote, “In Murshidabad district alone, recent weeks have seen the looting and destruction of over 86 Hindu shops and homes, murder of innocent civilians like Hargobindo Das and his son Chandan Das, and targeted economic sabotage such as the burning of betel leaf plantations in Jhaubona village.”
According to Mahato, the unrest is not limited to one area. He pointed out similar violence in Malda, Nadia, and South 24 Parganas. He blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for allowing the violence to continue and accused the party of appeasement politics.
Economic Targets and Government Inaction
Mahato emphasized that the attacks were not just violent but also aimed at hurting people’s livelihoods. In Jhaubona village, for example, he said miscreants set betel leaf farms on fire to damage the local economy. He accused the state administration of ignoring the situation and failing to protect Hindus.
Link to Waqf Amendment Bill
He further stated that the situation worsened after the passing of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. This led to violent attacks on Hindu households, government offices, and even police personnel. He noted that the situation had escalated to such an extent that the Calcutta High Court had to order the deployment of central forces to restore order.
Warning of Another Exodus-Like Situation
Mahato compared the current scenario to the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. He warned that Bengali Hindus are now facing a similar threat. “I must draw your attention to a haunting resemblance. The fear, isolation, and targeted violence that Bengali Hindus in these districts are facing today echoes the Kashmiri Pandit exodus of 1990. The tragic silence of the administration, deliberate targeting of a religious community, and propaganda-driven unrest are all too familiar,” he wrote.
The BJP MP asked Amit Shah to urgently implement AFSPA in the affected districts. He said this step was necessary to control the violence, restore peace, and protect the Hindu community from further attacks. In closing, Mahato said that the Hindu population in Bengal has suffered for too long. He urged the central government to act before the situation gets worse.
