West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has submitted a report to the Union Home Ministry following his April 18–19 visit to Murshidabad, where violent protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act recently erupted. His report cites rising “radicalisation and militancy” in the state’s border districts, warns of administrative collapse, and suggests tighter border surveillance, permanent BSF-CAPF outposts, and even references Article 356 (President’s Rule) as a fallback if tensions escalate further.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has sharply condemned the Governor’s report, calling it “politically motivated” and accusing Bose of overstepping his constitutional role by engaging directly with Union Home Minister Amit Shah without meaningful consultation with the state government. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said the report deliberately paints the state administration in a bad light to create a narrative favorable to the BJP ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

TMC also renewed earlier allegations of a “larger conspiracy” involving some Central agencies, particularly pointing fingers at the BSF. According to Ghosh, miscreants allegedly crossed over from Bangladesh, triggered chaos, and returned under the BSF’s watch while the Union Home Ministry remained silent — a point, he noted, the Governor’s report failed to address.

TMC MP Saugata Roy emphasised that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had proactively called for meetings to maintain communal harmony, rejecting claims of organised radicalisation.

The protests in Murshidabad, which broke out on April 11–12 in Suti, Dhulian, Samsherganj, and Jangipur, left at least two dead (including Harogobindo Das and his son Chandan Das) and displaced many families, who have since taken shelter in relief camps in Malda. The Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of Central forces, over 300 people were arrested, and internet services were suspended in the affected areas.

(millennium post)