Murshidabad, West Bengal (April 8, 2025): Clashes broke out in Murshidabad, West Bengal, on Tuesday as protests against the Waqf (Amendment) law turned violent. Demonstrators blocked roads, vandalized a police vehicle, and set it on fire. Police attempted to control the crowd, but tensions escalated when protesters moved beyond the designated protest zone. As the situation worsened, protesters tried to break through barricades. Police responded with mild force and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Several officers sustained injuries during the confrontation. Police deployed additional security forces to restore order.
BJP leader Amit Malviya blamed the unrest on illegal infiltration and demographic shifts, claiming West Bengal was slipping out of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s control.The "Muslim appeasement" policy of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was cited by the BJP for the violence. "The West Bengal Police is struggling to rein in the violent Islamist mob rampaging through the streets of Murshidabad —possibly under instructions from Home Minister Mamata Banerjee herself. Her inflammatory speeches have directly contributed to the current unrest," BJP leader Amit Malviya said.
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"As a so-called precaution, internet services in the area have been throttled to restrict the flow of information. This is the same region that witnessed repeated attacks on Hindus during the recent Kartik Puja celebrations. Several trains were brought to a standstill as tensions escalated. Mamata Banerjee’s spineless brand of Muslim appeasement is dragging Bengal dangerously close to the path of Bangladesh," he wrote on an X (formerly Twitter).
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, was passed by both Houses of Parliament last week after marathon debates. It became law after receiving the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday. The Act was then notified and came into effect on Tuesday, April 8.