Nearly a week after two groups clashed over an “objectionable” message on a digital display board at a temporary gate of a Kartik Puja pandal on Saturday night in Murshidabad district’s Beldanga area, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday strongly condemned the actions of those responsible for inciting communal tensions and also questioned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s silence over the incident, urging the CM to issue a statement.
Chowdhury also highlighted the suffering of the people because of the almost week-long internet ban in the area.
Criticizing the incompetence of the local police administration, the senior Congress leader claimed that they allowed the issue to escalate unchecked. “The Beldanga incident is a total failure of local police personnel and the incident … went viral on social media, but the local police was unable to control the situation immediately and take action against the culprits,” Adhir Chowdhury said while speaking to The Indian Express.
“A similar communal incident took place during Ram Navami celebrations before the Lok Sabha elections in Shaktipur of Murshidabad. In my opinion, both the incident’s are a greater conspiracy to bring in polarisation in the district. The CM who comments on everything is conspicuous by her silence on the Beldanga as well as Shaktipur incident. As a CM, she should atleast have issued a message of peace to the people, but all we saw was her silence,” Chowdhury claimed.
“Not many know that the internet services are suspended in Murshidabad due to communal tension in the area. If local administration was active such a situation wouldn’t have arised, the entire Beldanga is saying. In Manipur internet services are shut in seven districts and we know the reason, but how big is the reason… in Berhampore and other areas of Murshidabad,… the Chief Minister should come out with a statement. We all are in dark,” the former Lok Sabha MP said.
The senior Congress leader also said that prolonged internet ban has affected the local residents as well as functioning of various departments in the area. “Importantly, internet services have been suspended since last Saturday when the incident took place. Not only in Murshidabad, but in areas adjacent to the district’s internet has been shut down for the last so many days,” Chowdhury said, adding, “In today’s digital age, people are severely impacted by the prolonged internet ban. Students are struggling, the banking system is severely disrupted, and even patient care in hospitals is affected. This extended internet ban is unprecedented and unacceptable.”
On Thursday, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attempted to visit the affected areas to interact with the local residents, but said that his entry into the area was denied by the police. “As a public representative, I’m being denied access to the area, while the local Trinamool Congress MLA is freely moving around with police protection. The local police failed to take necessary measures, allowing the situation to escalate,” he said.
From a location outside the Murshidabad district, where internet services remain operational, Chowdhury released a video message, appealing for peace in the area and also urging the Chief Minister to issue a statement addressing the situation. “Peace and harmony are the foundations of our society, and we must stand united against any attempts to divide us,” he said in the video message.
Chowdhury claimed that taking advantage of no internet services in the area, a group of miscreants are spreading more rumours. “Hence, I will appeal to the state government, TMC supremo, to openly issue a peace message.
There are many people who have not been able to return home. Administration is trying but these efforts seem not enough. We want to restore peace in the area. We must be allowed to visit the area. I am an old representative of the area. I have told the administration. Today Manipur and Berhampore and other districts have been put into the same situation. We want the CM’s statement,” he said in the video.
On Wednesday, BJP’s state president Sukanta Majumdar was detained while on his way to Beldanga in Murshidabad district to “assess” the situation, following alleged communal clashes in the area last Saturday.
More than 17 people have been arrested for clashes in the area.
