Relief camps in Bengal turned into 'detention centres: Suvendu Adhikari

Murshidabad violence

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday alleged that the state government has converted relief camps housing riot-affected individuals into "detention centres," claiming that the administration is barring outsiders from meeting the displaced people.

“The government is not only restricting access to the camps for media and voluntary organisations, but also subjecting the displaced people to poor living conditions. They are being fed substandard rice and cooked vegetables, while food donated by NGOs is being hoarded in local godowns,” Adhikari posted on X.

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Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) April 19, 2025

He further claimed that NGOs attempting to support the displaced families are being harassed through fabricated legal cases. “Such treatment is cruel, inhuman, and violates democratic principles,” said the Nandigram MLA, demanding that the rights and dignity of the displaced individuals be restored. He also warned of legal action if the situation persists.

Additionally, former Congress MP from Baharampur, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, raised similar concerns, accusing the state government of failing to make adequate arrangements for the return of affected families to their homes. He also alleged that the police were preventing journalists and family members from accessing the camps.

Responding to the allegations, TMC general secretary Kunal Ghosh said that opposition parties, including the BJP, were attempting to destabilise the situation and obstruct efforts to restore peace.

The unrest began during protests against the recent amendments to the Waqf Act on April 11–12, leading to communal violence in Muslim-majority areas of Murshidabad and Malda. According to reports, three people were killed and around 400—mostly women and children—fled after mobs attacked their homes and properties.

The situation remains tense as investigations continue and political tensions escalate over the handling of relief efforts.