West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is ‘scheduled’ to visit Murshidabad district, which witnessed violent clashes and acts of vandalism in protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, on May 5, Monday, said sources.
However, the state administration is yet to confirm the final tour programme of the Chief Minister, amid Opposition criticism against Banerjee for not visiting the district where three people lost their lives in last month’s violence.
Government sources said Banerjee is likely to attend an administrative meeting and service service-providing programme at Shamsherganj on Tuesday. She is also likely to visit Balurghat from Berhampore the next day, they added.
“The chief minister is scheduled to arrive in Murshidabad on Monday late afternoon. She is scheduled to attend administrative programmes on Tuesday,” said Rajarshi Mitra, Murshidabad District Magistrate.
Banerjee herself had announced a few days ago that she would go to Shamshergunj in the first week of May. “The violence was unfortunate. We do not want riots. Some outsiders orchestrated it, but we will expose them and their conspiracy,” she said at an administrative programme in Midnapore.
She further added, “I have promised the families of those killed in the violence to give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each. We will also rebuild their houses under the ‘Banglar Bari’ scheme… I will be going there in the first week of May and evaluate the situation,” Banerjee said last Monday.
Earlier, Governor CV Ananda Bose and BJP state president Sukanta Majumder visited the violence-hit Shamsherganj.
Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury said, “The Chief Minister won’t come to Murshidabad when violence occurred. Now when the violence has stopped, she is coming. People of Murshidabad knew Didi was not available during a crisis.”
Local administration sources said that after visiting Samshergunj, the Chief Minister may go to Suti where at Chhabghati ground she will hold a government rally.
On Saturday, Supratim Sarkar, ADG (South Bengal), visited the ground and took stock of the security aspects of the ground. A senior state administration official said, “The Chief Minister may go to Balurghat and also visit Mothabari from Shamshergunj, but that is not finalised yet. So, it will depend on what the Chief Minister decides.”
The protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act spiralled into widespread violence in the district, resulting in three deaths and the arrest of at least 150 people.
On Saturday, the Calcutta High Court directed the immediate deployment of central armed police forces in Murshidabad and other sensitive areas.