NEW DELHI: Amid rising political heat over the Murshidabad violence in West Bengal, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha hit out at the BJP for repeatedly invoking Hindu victimhood, saying the narrative had worn thin and that social harmony was a shared responsibility of both the Centre and the states.
“Kitni jagah ye card kheloge, ghis chuka hai,” said Jha, responding to BJP allegations of “state-sponsored, state-protected, and state-encouraged targeted violence against Hindus.” The BJP had blamed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government for the clashes during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
Speaking to ANI, Jha added, “The time has come for PM Modi to break his silence. The country’s social harmony is the responsibility of the Centre and all state governments… because if the country remains, only then there will be elections and parties would win and lose them.”
The violence in Murshidabad has left three people dead and led to the arrest of 150 individuals. A special bench of the Calcutta High Court has ordered immediate deployment of central forces in the region. The matter will be heard again on April 17.
On the ground, police forces have been deployed in Samserganj, Dhuliyan, and other sensitive zones. Protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act had turned violent, with reports of vandalised temples, demolished idols, and Hindu homes and shops being set ablaze.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Mamata government of appeasement. “Bengal is burning… Hindus are being forced to migrate, and idols in temples are being demolished. The saffron flag was pulled down. Mamata Banerjee should be ashamed,” he said, calling the incidents an affront to the legacy of Swami Vivekananda.
In contrast, Manoj Jha urged for calm and restraint. “Whatever is happening is unfortunate. This should not happen. I will request everyone to have peaceful resistance. Let us follow the path shown by Gandhiji,” he said. Jha confirmed his party is a petitioner in the case, expressing hope that “the injustice done due to the misinterpretation of Article 26 will be addressed.”
He added, “I believe that Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government will control this.”
Meanwhile, a PIL filed by advocate Anish Mukherjee on behalf of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has sought central forces and an NIA probe. The Calcutta HC has asked both the state and the Centre to file detailed reports.
