Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has delivered a stern message to her cabinet ministers and party legislators following the communal violence in Murshidabad, urging them to stay more visible and connected with the public year-round.
In a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, Banerjee highlighted how the recent unrest in Jangipur sub-division could have been prevented if her party representatives had played their assigned roles more responsibly.
“A public representative has no religion or class. They must be among the people at all times,” Banerjee said, according to a senior TMC leader present at the meeting.
Murshidabad Violence: A Wake-Up Call for TMC
The Murshidabad riots, triggered by protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, spiraled out of control between April 8 and 12, resulting in the death of three people:
- Haragobindo Das (72) and his son Chandan Das (40) were brutally hacked to death by a mob in Jafrabad village, Samserganj.
- Ezaz Ahmed (25) was killed in security forces’ firing during the unrest.
The tragic incident has since drawn nationwide attention. The National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Women have both dispatched investigation teams to the affected areas.
Mamata Criticizes Irresponsible Remarks by MLAs
Banerjee also took issue with certain TMC MLAs for making irresponsible statements during recent months, suggesting that such remarks further inflamed tensions in sensitive areas.
“Had our MPs and MLAs been active, this situation would not have escalated,” she reportedly said.
Political Fallout: BJP Targets TMC
The opposition BJP has seized the moment to target the ruling party. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar visited Jafrabad on Monday and met the grieving Das family, stating that “Hindus are no longer safe in Bengal.”
While TMC dominates Murshidabad—holding all 3 Lok Sabha and 74 out of 76 Assembly seats—the party now faces mounting pressure to rebuild trust and strengthen its grassroots network in the wake of the violence.
Looking Ahead
With elections looming and tensions high, Banerjee’s call for proactive, secular governance sends a clear message: the TMC must prioritize ground-level presence and community engagement to avoid such tragedies in the future and retain public faith.
