KOLKATA: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and governor CV Ananda Bose were on a collision course Thursday over strife-torn Murshidabad after she urged the latter and politicians from all parties not to visit the district for a while, arguing against “fishing in troubled waters” just when normalcy was returning to areas singed by Waqf law-linked mob violence.
Bose declared soon after that he intended to make an “on-the-spot assessment”, based on which he would send a report to Centre. He met some people affected by the violence earlier in the day. “If peace is restored, I will be the happiest person. I will file my report accordingly,” he said.
Sources said representations to Raj Bhavan from those who lost homes included a plea for permanent BSF camps to ensure safety, saying they did not have faith in police.
“I appeal to everyone to stay in peace. Riots are not caused by Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or Jains. Riots are instigated by some criminals. Nowadays, money can make many things happen. During situations like this, you will find some good people, and … there will be some netas who disguise themselves as good people to foment trouble,” the CM said. “I request no one visit Murshidabad at this moment, apart from locals. I could have also gone there, but I haven’t for a reason. If I go, how can I stop others? I will go at the right time. I request the governor and others to wait a few more days.”
The crackdown on rioters continued with a third suspect being arrested for the April 12 murders of Haragobindo Das and his son Chandan in Jafrabad village. The suspect was identified as the victims’ neighbour. Till Thursday evening, 274 people were rounded up, based on 60 FIRs. In Bhangar, three more people were held for the violence.
The fresh arrests coincided with the inspectors-in-charge of Shamsherganj and Suti police stations being shunted out. Police said they were looking into whether there was any intelligence failure after communal tension eased on April 8, only to flare up again on April 11-12.
(Inputs from Dwaipayan Ghosh & Sukumar Mahato)
