The protests that started due to the Waqf Act in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal have become violent, killing three people, including a father and son. It was initially claimed that over 400 Hindu families have left the district over the fear of violence, and the latest reports suggest that many have taken refuge in the Parlalpur High School, which has been converted into a shelter home after the protests.
Scared, panicked and with no place to go, people at the high school said that they did not have any hope of returning as the situation got tense. The police, however, claimed that 200 people were arrested and the situation in the violence-torn area was normalising. Saptami, a 24-year-old resident who took shelter at the school, said that there was stone pelting and their neighbour’s house was burnt. She also reported that her father and she escaped the mob narrowly with the help of the BSF.
The people at the school are from different areas of Murshidabad, including Suti, Dhulian, and Samahergunj. Many have no belongings and are afraid, while others have lost their houses. A fifty-year-old widow, Tulorani Mondol, said she wanted a permanent BSF camp in the area to ensure a safe return, as her house was burnt.
The locals at the school have ensured enough space for the people, with benches being taken out to make space for resting, and the mid-day meal kitchen serving as the kitchen for the masses. Policemen are guarding the gates and ensuring the people’s safety. Sukanta Majumder, the BJP state president, after a short commotion with the police,e was allowed inside the school and has subsequently promised to help the displaced masses.
Amidst all this, the Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee, has issued a statement saying that everybody has the right to protest, but taking the law into their own hands will not be accepted.
Ever since the Waqf Act came out, anger and communal tensions have taken over many areas. Despite the government and its allies collaborating on awareness campaigns, there seems to be no positive result.
