Communal clashes in West Bengal over Facebook post: 10 things you must know

The central government had rushed 300 paramilitary personnel to control the violence which spread to a few more areas on Tuesday. Photo: Twitter

KOLKATA: Communal violence broke out in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district following a Facebook post, triggering arson, and torching of vehicles on Tuesday.

• The central government had rushed 300 paramilitary personnel to control the violence which spread to a few more areas on Tuesday.
• The violence between two communities at Baduria under Basirhat sub-division in the district started last night over the post following which a young man was arrested. A violent mob put up road blockades at several places and attacked members of other community, besides destroying many shops.
• Shops were shut down in Baduria as tension prevailed there and spread to adjacent areas like Keosha market, Banshtala, Ramchandrapur and Tentulia.
• The political thunder began rolling in the afternoon on Tuesday. A few minutes before 3pm, governor Tripathi's office placed a call to the chief minister's cellphone.
• In an unprecedented move, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi of "threatening" her over phone and talking "big on the law and order".
• "I have told the Hon'ble governor that 'you cannot talk to me like this'. The way the governor is speaking, it seems that the BJP block president is speaking.... After this insult, I had myself thought that I would resign. I have never been insulted in this way in my whole life," Mamata said.

• The statement from the Raj Bhavan said the governor was "surprised" at the "attitude and language" used by the chief minister during the news conference. The statement said that "talks" between the chief minister and the governor were "confidential in nature and none is expected to disclose it". "However, there was nothing in the talks for which the Hon'ble Chief Minister may have felt insulted, threatened or humiliated," it added.
• Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday spoke to West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the public spat between the two
• Accusing the state police of failure to control the situation, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is also in charge of the state, wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asking him intervene in the matter.
• The chief Minister appealed to top leaders of both the communities that her government would not tolerate "this hooliganism". On the other hand, the Left parties demanded an all-party meeting and deployment of the army, if necessary, to control the trouble.

(With inputs from agencies)