West Bengal waqf violence: Governor Ananda Bose to visit Murshidabad today; NCW panel to meet affected women in camps

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose will visit violence-affected areas in Murshidabad and Malda on Friday, defying Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s request to defer his visit. The governor will visit relief camps and interact with affected families. 

 

According to Raj Bhavan, the governor will meet victims of the violence at relief camps set up in Malda and interact with them. Bose will later visit areas affected by the violence that erupted over the Waqf (Amendment) Act to have a “firsthand account of what happened in the field”. The governor would also be interacting with district administration officials on riot control measures taken.

 

On Thursday, the governor met a few displaced families at the Raj Bhavan. They were brought by BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar to meet the governor. 

 

Governor Bose’s visit comes despite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s request to defer the visit. “Though peace has largely returned, the administration is currently focused on restoring public confidence. I could have gone, but I chose not to for a reason. I’ll visit at the right time. I request the governor and others to wait for a few days more,” Banerjee had said.

 

Meanwhile, National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar and a probe panel appointed by the Commission will visit Malda on Friday. The Commission took suo motu cognisance of the violence and appointed an inquiry panel to probe violence against women in the riots that broke out during a protest against amended Waqf law.

 

Vijaya Rahatkar told ANI, "We came to know from the media reports that atrocities have been done against women in violence-hit areas of West Bengal during protest against the Waqf Amendment Act and the women are scared too. We will go to the spot (in Malda) to see the situation. We will go there and talk to the women, as atrocities against women are not accepted, and these things should not happen."

 

Meanwhile, West Bengal police said 60 cases have been registered in connection with the violence and close to 300 persons have been arrested. Police said 70 per cent of shops have reopened in affected areas.

India