Tensions in Murshidabad: Mamata Banerjee Accuses Centre of Pre-Planned Communal Unrest Amid Political Row over Waqf Law

New Delhi / Kolkata — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday responded to escalating tensions in Murshidabad district, strongly refuting allegations from BJP leaders that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) played a role in recent communal unrest linked to the controversial Waqf law.

Speaking during a high-level interaction with community Imams, Banerjee alleged that the violence in Murshidabad was “pre-planned” and orchestrated with the intent to destabilize the region and discredit the state government. “Had the TMC been complicit in the violence, as claimed by the opposition, the homes of our own leaders would not have been attacked,” she said.

Banerjee reiterated that her party had vocally opposed the Centre's Waqf Amendment Law in Parliament. “TMC is at the forefront of the fight against this law,” she stated, underlining the party's parliamentary record.

In a pointed critique of the BJP-led central government, Banerjee referenced a news report quoting the Union Home Ministry that alleged possible foreign involvement in the unrest. “If Bangladesh is indeed involved, as the Home Ministry suggests, then it is the Centre’s responsibility. Border security is handled by the BSF, not the state,” she said, further questioning how “outsiders were allowed to enter Bengal, incite violence, and escape.”

Banerjee also condemned certain media outlets for what she called “deliberate misinformation.” She accused “godi media”—a colloquial term for media perceived as sympathetic to the ruling party at the Centre—of selectively targeting West Bengal while ignoring pressing national issues. “Petrol and diesel prices have increased, but some media houses are focused solely on vilifying Bengal and me personally,” she said.

The Chief Minister further alleged that fake videos were circulated online to defame the state and fuel tensions. “We have identified the sources—out of eight videos, some originated from Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan. These attempts to malign Bengal are shameful,” she said.

Banerjee also challenged the central government’s record on job creation and inflation. “Let them answer how many youths have been given employment. The cost of essential medicines, fuel, and daily goods continues to rise, yet they focus on spreading fabricated narratives about Bengal,” she said.

Meanwhile, the BJP intensified its criticism of the West Bengal government. At a press conference earlier in the day, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the TMC administration of orchestrating a "targeted attack" on members of the Hindu community in Murshidabad.

“What is happening in Bengal? How far will they go for vote bank politics?” Prasad asked, citing visuals allegedly showing Hindu-owned shops being set ablaze. He also shared an emotional account of a Dalit man who reportedly lost Rs 2 lakh he had saved for his wife’s medical treatment due to the violence. “Politics aside, has the Bengal government lost all humanity?” he questioned.

Prasad further criticized the conduct of state law enforcement, alleging a lack of accountability, and welcomed the judiciary’s intervention that led to the deployment of central forces in the district to restore order.

As political rhetoric intensifies, the situation in Murshidabad remains tense, with both state and central authorities under scrutiny. The deployment of central forces continues, and investigations into the violence and the source of misinformation are ongoing.