New Delhi/Kolkata: Hitting back at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s charge of ‘divide and rule game’, the BJP on Sunday stated that the TMC supremo had often misled the public. The BJP slammed Banerjee for blaming BJP and the RSS for her own administrative failures and also demanded her resignation.
A day before, Banerjee had referred to the violence in Murshidabad district amid anti-Waqf Act protests. In her reference, she had accused the BJP of using the incident to play “divisive” politics.
“West Bengal police were already aware of the rallies. Why, then, were they not stopped in advance? Did mobs, weapons, and stones materialize out of thin air?” said BJP IT cell head, Amit Malviya wrote on X.
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
The BJP leader demanded that, with accountability long overdue, 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 (RSS) for her administration’s failures. This, despite her own police force debunking her narrative that the anti-Hindu violence in Murshidabad was incited by external elements,” Malviya added
Protests in West Bengal against the Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent in Murshidabad district and Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district. According to various reports, the protesters had clashed with security forces and set fire to police vehicles. At least three people were killed in the violence.
Meanwhile, another BJP leader Nisith Paramanik, who is also a former Union Minister, alleged that homes of Hindus were marked with ink before being systematically set on fire in Murshidabad.
In #Murshidabad, Hindu homes were marked with ink and monitored before being systematically set on fire.Two local Muslim residents helped identify the targets. #MamataBanerjee is enabling demographic shifts in border areas to retain power, strangling democracy by abuse of power. pic.twitter.com/WrxZMWxA7y
— Nisith Pramanik (@NisithPramanik) April 19, 2025
What did Mamata Banerjee allege in an open letter?
Banerjee had issued an open letter on Saturday. In the letter, she had accused the BJP and the RSS of spreading a basket of untruths on the violence over the Waqf Act in Bengal.
“They are eager to use an unfortunate incident that has occurred as a result of provocation. They are using it to do the politics of division. They want to play the divide and rule game. It is a dangerous game,” she had stated. The Bengal CM also appealed for peace in the state.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee appeals for peace in the state.
She says, “BJP and its allies have suddenly become very aggressive in West Bengal. These allies include RSS…These forces are using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident that happened on provocation. They are… pic.twitter.com/ZCz77V1V11
— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2025
One arrested for murder of son-father in violence-hit Murshidabad
One of the prime accused in the murder of a man and his son in violence-struck Murshidabad district was arrested, reports citing police sources said on Sunday.
The arrested person has been identified as Ziaul Sheikh, a resident of Sulitala Purbapara, near Jafrabad village. He had been on the run since the crime occurred on April 12.
Sheikh was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal Police along with the Special Investigating Team (SIT). He was arrested from his hideout in Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district on Saturday.
“This person is one of the prime accused who had conspired and instigated a mob to carry out vandalism at the residence of the deceased and killed Haragobindo Das and his son Chandan Das on April 12,” an officer told PTI.
Earlier, the police had arrested two brothers, Kalu Nadar and Dildar, and Inzmam Ul Haque in connection with the killings.
