‘Herself fueling violence’: Kiren Rijiju attacks Mamata over Waqf protests in Murshidabad

The unrest erupted on April 12 and 13, 2025, in several parts of Murshidabad

After violence over the Waqf Act rocked West Bengal's Murshidabad, leaving three dead and many injured, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "inciting violence" in her state through her opposition to the implementation of the law.

“That will be construed as defying the Constitutional spirit and at the same time instigating the people. Who has to contain the violence? The state government. The person who is in charge of the law and order situation herself is fueling this kind of violence leading to death of innocent people,” he said during an interview with ANI.

West Bengal, which has over 80,480 Waqf properties - second only to Uttar Pradesh's 2.2 lakh, has witnessed widespread protests after the passage of the Waqf law earlier this month.

Banerjee had recently clarified that the Waqf Bill was not her creation and reaffirmed that it will not be enacted in the state.

Amid unrest in Murshidabad, she urged calm and restraint, threatening legal consequences for those inciting violence during the protests.

In the X post, she sought to remind the residents of Bengal that the Waqf Bill was introduced and made into law after the Central government tabled it. “Remember, we did not make the law that many are agitated against. The law was made by the central government. So, the answer you want should be sought from the central government,” the CM stated on X.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday raised concerns over the recent violence in three border areas of West Bengal’s Murshidabad.  According to a report by News18, the  preliminary investigation into the violence indicated the involvement of Bangladeshi miscreants, allegedly supported by local Trinamool Congress leaders, who subsequently lost control over these elements.

Sources told News18 that the Centre sought clarification from the Mamata Banerjee-led state government regarding its failure to protect lives and property, the attack on railway assets, and police inaction during the initial stages of the violence.

The MHA earlier held a video conference with the West Bengal Chief Secretary and DGP to assess the situation and review law and order measures.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari while accused  Banerjee of appeasement politics. "Targeted violence is taking place in Bengal, encouraged by Mamata Banerjee. When the Waqf Bill was passed by the Parliament, there was a general sense of acceptance and some peaceful protests across the country. But in Bengal, in the name of appeasement, Mamata Banerjee has turned the land of Swami Vivekananda, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, and Rabindranath Tagore into a laboratory for appeasement politics." Bhandari said.