SENIOR CONGRESS leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her scheduled visit to Murshidabad district that witnessed three deaths in clashes amid protests over the Waqf law last month.

“Didi is coming to Murshidabad when everything has been completed. Janaza (final journey) completed, qabr (burial) done. She is visiting for riot tourism.”

Chowdhury, who is a former state chief of the party and an ex-MP from Murshidabad’s Berhampore, was addressing a Congress rally there.
Banerjee, who is scheduled to reach Berhampore on May 5, recently said she would also visit Samsherganj, one of the areas affected by the violence last month, on May 6.

“The CM is scheduled to arrive in Murshidabad on Monday late afternoon. She is scheduled to attend administrative programmes on Tuesday,” Rajarshi Mitra, District Magistrate, Murshidabad, told The Indian Express over phone on Saturday.

Chowdhury said, “Murshidabad has been defamed across the country because of the failure of the administration and TMC leaders. The state administration did not act with responsibility at the time. And after all these days, it has occurred to the CM that she should visit the district now.”

Earlier, while calling for the Congress rally in Berhampore, Chowdhury said on Friday, “The people know that she (CM) was not available during a crisis. She thinks that transferring police officers will resolve the problem but the people of Murshidabad will not forget. She will have to answer…”

Several houses were allegedly ransacked in the violence last month, forcing residents to flee and take shelter in relief camps in the neighbouring Malda district.

Chowdhury also claimed on Saturday, “In Odisha and other states as well, migrant labourers from Bengal – a large chunk of whom are from Murshidabad – are facing atrocities but our state government has done nothing for them.”

The ruling Trinamool Congress did not immediately react to Chowdhury’s remarks.