'Dance Of Death': Bengal Governor Visits Violence-Hit Murshidabad, NCW Begins Probe Into Waqf Protest Riots
West Bengal Governor and NCW launch action after deadly clashes in Murshidabad and Malda over the Waqf Act. The High Court steps in to restore order and aid displaced victims.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose strongly criticized the recent violent clashes in Murshidabad and Malda. He called the incidents a “dance of death” and promised to take action against what he called a growing “culture of violence” in the state.
The violence, which broke out on April 11 during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, has left three people dead and dozens injured. Homes and businesses were damaged, and many residents have been displaced, with some seeking shelter in relief camps in Malda, while others have migrated to Jharkhand’s Pakur district.
Governor Visits Affected Areas
“Violence is showing its ugly head on and off in Bengal in various places,” Bose told ANI while traveling to the affected areas. “We have to coffin the cult of violence and drive the last nail in the coffin. That is a task which is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in Bengal.”
Bose is currently visiting the worst-hit areas in Malda, where he is meeting victims and surveying damage. After a stop at the Circuit House, he is expected to continue on to Murshidabad for a similar assessment.
“What has happened there (Murshidabad and Malda) is something which should never have happened… The dance of death, if I may say so, that is going on in the streets of Bengal in many places — this kind of cult of violence can never be tolerated at all,” he said, expressing shock over the situation.
The Governor emphasized the need for a unified approach to restoring peace. “After visiting the field and sharing the feelings of the people there, I will certainly have a plan of action to take it in a mission mode — that is, to fight against violence at any cost,” he said.
High Court Intervenes to Maintain Law and Order
In response to the unrest, the Calcutta High Court has taken steps to ensure law and order, directing that central forces remain in Murshidabad for the time being. The court has also committed to overseeing the rehabilitation and restoration efforts. Additionally, political leaders across parties — including BJP and TMC — have been instructed to refrain from making provocative remarks that could inflame the already tense situation.
NCW Launches Probe to Support Affected Women
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also stepped in, with Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar arriving in Kolkata on Thursday evening to lead an inquiry into the violence following the protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
"The women here are very scared after the communal violence that broke out here...NCW has taken cognisance of this and we have constituted a probe committee...I am also a part of the probe committee. Over the next three days, we will visit these violence-hit areas. We will go to Malda and Murshidabad. We will meet the affected women there and interact with them," she said while speaking to reporters.
Rahatkar added, "We need to go to those areas. Only after that will I be able to say something further. We have come here to give confidence to those scared women."
The NCW team plans to interact directly with the victims, document their experiences, and recommend necessary protection and rehabilitation measures to the authorities.
NHRC to Visit Relief Camp
Meanwhile, a team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is set to visit a refugee camp in Malda on Friday. In a post on X on Thursday, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said, "A team of NHRC officials will visit the refugee camp in Malda, West Bengal tomorrow."
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