Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Monday directed both the state and BSF to keep an eye on Murshidabad's Beldanga, which witnessed clashes on Nov 16 over a Kartik Puja procession. A division bench of justices Harish Tandon and Hiranmay Bhattacharyya expressed satisfaction at the report submitted by the Murshidabad DM and the BSF DIG stating that the situation was under control.
The HC division bench directed the state to submit another report a week after winter vacation. The bench told BSF to continue with route marches in the area, which is within 40km of the Bangladesh border, as part of confidence-building measures.
Senior counsel for the petitioner, Billwadal Bhattacharya, said as many as 90 families in Beldanga came under attack and explosives were recovered from the area. The division bench did not want to take cognizance of the submission. Justice Tandon held that the court was concerned with restoring peace.
In the assembly, CM Mamata Banerjee said she had spent a sleepless night on hearing that a riot had broken out. "As the Trinamool MLA of Beldanga was in hospital, I asked him to get discharged to control the situation and also sent DGP Rajeev Kumar to the spot instantly. I asked Muslim leaders to protect Hindus, as Beldanga is a minority-dominated belt, and also asked imams to guard Hindu localities. Since adjoining Jangipur town too is a minority-dominated area, I also asked the Rejinagar MLA to be vigilant," she said.
The CM said trouble broke out as an illumination at a pandal hurt the sentiments of the minority community. "But the person who did it did not make amends, even after being told," she added.
Banerjee added that BJP netas regularly abused her for political purposes, but she would not tolerate anyone insulting Hindu gods and goddesses.