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In the politically volatile state of West Bengal, where Mamata Banerjee has maintained an unshaken grip on power for over a decade, the recent eruption of communal violence in Murshidabad has ignited more than just flames—it has sparked a statewide reckoning. As streets burn and families flee, a hard question looms:
Is this the beginning of the end for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime?
The violence, triggered by protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, escalated rapidly in Murshidabad, exposing deep-rooted religious fissures and a visibly crumbling administrative apparatus. What began as dissent turned into chaos—highways were blockaded, police jeeps torched, railway stations vandalized, and civilians killed. Over 400 people, predominantly Hindus, fled their homes, crossing the Ganga in desperation, seeking shelter in neighboring Malda.
The human cost has been harrowing: three confirmed deaths, dozens injured, and hundreds displaced. Their accounts paint a grim picture—homes burnt, temples desecrated, and a state administration accused of silence, indifference, or worse, complicity.
The state government’s response has ranged from delayed deployment of forces to advisories asking displaced families to return to their homes—homes that no longer stand. Internet shutdowns and curfews followed, but by then, the damage had pierced far beyond infrastructure. Trust had burned to ash.
Suvendu Adhikari Shows Proofs Of Houses Burnt In Murshidabad
Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led state government, accusing it of converting relief camps into “detention centres” for victims displaced by recent communal violence in Murshidabad district.
Speaking to reporters, Adhikari alleged that the administration was deliberately blocking access to these camps, preventing civil society groups, media, and opposition leaders from assessing the condition of those sheltered there.
“The state has stripped the camps of transparency. No one is being allowed to enter or help. The displaced are being treated like detainees,” Adhikari said, calling the situation “cruel and inhuman.”
The relief camps in question were set up following large-scale violence that broke out in parts of Murshidabad—including Shamsherganj, Dhulian, Suti, and Jangipur—on April 11 and 12. The unrest, allegedly sparked by opposition to the Centre’s recent amendments to the Waqf Act, saw widespread targeting of Hindu households and businesses.
Adhikari claimed that over 10,000 individuals have been rendered homeless due to the targeted attacks. “Their homes were looted and torched, yet instead of justice, the state is isolating them under administrative watch,” he said.
Incident 1: Shri Ganesh Ghosh, a resident of Betbona in Ward No. 16 of Dhuliyan Municipality; Samsherganj, Murshidabad district, had accumulated 5 lakh Rupees to build a new home. On Friday; April 11, 2025, miscreants attacked his house, set it on fire. Along with the furniture,… pic.twitter.com/Y5CDnoUneI
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) April 19, 2025
Political Implications: A Crumbling Fortress?
Mamata Banerjee, once hailed as the face of resistance against the Left Front, now finds herself on the other side of public outrage. Critics accuse her government of shielding communal elements and playing appeasement politics to retain its Muslim vote bank, which constitutes a significant 30% of the state’s population.
In the eyes of the opposition, particularly the BJP, this is a moment of reckoning. The party has seized the moment to project Banerjee as a failed guardian of law and order. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Commission for Women (NCW) have conducted fact-finding visits, reinforcing narratives of state apathy. Their findings—deplorable conditions in relief camps, testimonies of police inaction, and appeals for BSF protection—have fueled speculation that the TMC’s ironclad rule is finally wearing thin.
#WATCH | Murshidabad, West Bengal | BJP MLA Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury says, “She (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) has not come here. She is the Home Minister of the state, has completely failed… It is not the BJP; the people are demanding a BSF camp. Their only demand is that… pic.twitter.com/tqswKxmfra
— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2025
Yet, Bengal’s political chessboard is not easily disrupted. TMC’s welfare schemes, especially targeting women and minority communities, continue to anchor its grassroots support. Initiatives like Lakshmi Bhandar—offering monthly allowances to women—have built a durable vote base, particularly in rural and economically weaker sections. And Mamata’s defiance, often styled as a lone battle against the Centre, still resonates with a sizable segment of the electorate.
But the Murshidabad crisis may have cracked something deeper than vote banks: the social contract between state and citizen. The displaced Hindu families, now demanding a permanent BSF presence before they return, underscore the loss of faith in the state machinery. Public memory, though often short-lived, remembers betrayal more sharply than benevolence.
Mamata Didi’s Respond To The Violence:
In a strongly worded letter released on Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for peace across the state, urging citizens to remain calm and united amidst what she described as a calculated campaign of provocation and misinformation.
Banerjee, who has rarely named specific organizations in past political statements, explicitly pointed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological ally, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing them of inciting unrest and spreading falsehoods in the state. “These forces are using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident that happened on provocation,” she wrote, referring to recent communal tensions. “They are planning to play the ‘divide and rule’ game. This is sinister.”
In her message, she underlined her deep connection to West Bengal, describing the state as her motherland and reiterating her commitment to the people at every level—from villages to districts. Her letter reflected both personal emotion and political urgency as she called for unity amid efforts to polarise communities.
She issued a direct appeal to all residents of the state: “Please remain calm. We condemn communal riots and must curb them.” Banerjee assured that law enforcement agencies were taking strong action against those responsible for the violence but cautioned against letting suspicion and fear take root between communities.
Is the Fall Imminent?
Mamata Banerjee’s political career has weathered storms—from the Singur-Nandigram agitations to the Saradha scam—but Murshidabad is different. This isn’t just political corruption or administrative failure. This is perceived abandonment in the face of communal violence. And that carries emotional and electoral consequences.
However, to conclude that this unrest will automatically dethrone her would be a premature reading of Bengal’s political climate. The TMC’s voter base is structurally entrenched, bolstered by welfare economics, identity politics, and a fragmented opposition. Electoral history across Indian states shows that violence, even of this scale, doesn’t always translate into regime change. The Gujarat riots of 2002 didn’t unseat Narendra Modi. Nor did Hathras or Unnao dent Yogi Adityanath’s prospects.
Yet, this violence may mark the beginning of a slow erosion. The outrage from civil society, the Governor’s defiance of Mamata’s advisories, and the deepening rural discontent could form a potent mix. Whether it combusts into political transformation or simmers into resignation will depend not just on what Mamata does next—but how the people of Bengal choose to respond.
For now, Bengal is burning—both literally and metaphorically. And for the first time in 13 years, Mamata Banerjee’s throne no longer looks untouchable.
