Malda/Kolkata: Teams from the NHRC and NCW on Friday visited Malda relief camps to meet Murshidabad riot victims, even as West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose defied Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to defer his visit and interacted with the displaced, prompting the TMC to allege political provocation. During the Governor's visit, inmates of the Parlalpur High School relief camp in Baishnabnagar, Malda - where few hundreds have taken shelter since the April 11-12 clashes - staged protests alleging "police-imposed censorship, denial of access to visitors and inhumane living conditions".
"This camp feels worse than a prison. Police are not allowing us to meet anyone and narrate our ordeal," a camp resident told reporters.
Bose, who left for Malda this morning despite a request from the CM to postpone his trip "in the interest of maintaining calm," said he wanted to independently verify ground reports.
"I am going to the field," Bose told reporters before boarding a train from Kolkata.
"I will meet the victims and verify the reports we have received. I will visit hospitals, residences of victims and the relief camps. Central forces and state police are working together to restore normalcy. After meeting the victims, I will submit my recommendations."
At the camp, the Governor was seen interacting with children and patiently listening to the grievances of displaced families.
"The women said miscreants came and attacked their houses, looted their property and were forcible evicted," he said after the meeting.
Asked about the complaints about inhume living conditions, he said he will seek a detailed report and talk to the administration.
Raj Bhawan officials accompanying him took note of the complaints.
Tensions escalated briefly when angry camp residents broke barricades and surrounded district officials, accusing police of not letting them speak to the media or meet visiting relatives.
Several women alleged harassment by police personnel and said they were being threatened at night to not talk to outsiders.
"Police are treating us like criminals. We are being given dry rotis, bananas and stale rice. It is hard to tell whether we are in a refugee camp or a detention centre," a woman at the camp told reporters.
In its suo motu cognisance of the violence, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) dispatched a fact-finding team to the area and has sought a detailed report from the state government within three weeks.
The NHRC members took note after talking to members of the affected families staying at the camp at the Parlalpur High School.
The Commission on Tuesday had said that it had decided to send a team to conduct an on-the-spot inquiry into the incidents, considering the seriousness of the situation.
A delegation from the National Commission for Women (NCW) led by chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar also visited the camp to assess the condition of women displaced by the violence, which erupted during protests against the Centre's amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
"I am shocked by the condition of women and children here. They were forcibly evicted from their homes and have gone through unimaginable trauma," Rahatkar told reporters after interacting with camp residents.
NCW member Archana Majumdar, accompanying Rahatkar, alleged that women were molested and driven out of their homes.
"It is the state government's responsibility to ensure their safety. What is the TMC doing? Is the government trying to turn West Bengal into another Bangladesh?" Majumdar said.
The NCW delegation is expected to spend the night in Malda before heading to Murshidabad on Saturday.
The panel is scheduled to meet district officials, victims and eventually call on the Governor, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in Kolkata on Sunday.
The ruling Trinamool Congress criticised the visits by the Governor and NHRC and NCW teams, alleging that they were aimed at stoking tension in the already-volatile region.
"When the CM had requested him to delay the visit, the Governor should have honoured that. His actions show an intent to create unrest. The NCW and NHRC visits are also politically driven to help the BJP destabilise the situation," senior TMC MP Sougata Roy alleged.
Countering the allegations, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar accused the TMC of shielding those behind the violence for vote-bank politics.
"The TMC is panicking because these visits might expose their nexus with the rioters. They are appeasing miscreants for political gains," Majumdar told PTI.
At least three people were killed and over 274 arrested in connection with the violence that engulfed Muslim-majority areas such as Shamsherganj, Suti, Dhulian, and Jangipur in Murshidabad district.
Security has been tightened across the region, with paramilitary forces deployed alongside the state police to prevent further escalation.
Several families have fled Murshidabad and are now living in makeshift shelters in neighbouring Malda.
The communal clashes broke out during protests by sections of the Muslim community against the Centre's amendments to the Waqf Act, which, they allege, would centralise control over Muslim charitable properties and allow for their misuse.
"This camp feels worse than a prison. Police are not allowing us to meet anyone and narrate our ordeal," a camp resident told reporters.
Bose, who left for Malda this morning despite a request from the CM to postpone his trip "in the interest of maintaining calm," said he wanted to independently verify ground reports.
"I am going to the field," Bose told reporters before boarding a train from Kolkata.
"I will meet the victims and verify the reports we have received. I will visit hospitals, residences of victims and the relief camps. Central forces and state police are working together to restore normalcy. After meeting the victims, I will submit my recommendations."
At the camp, the Governor was seen interacting with children and patiently listening to the grievances of displaced families.
"The women said miscreants came and attacked their houses, looted their property and were forcible evicted," he said after the meeting.
Asked about the complaints about inhume living conditions, he said he will seek a detailed report and talk to the administration.
Raj Bhawan officials accompanying him took note of the complaints.
Tensions escalated briefly when angry camp residents broke barricades and surrounded district officials, accusing police of not letting them speak to the media or meet visiting relatives.
Several women alleged harassment by police personnel and said they were being threatened at night to not talk to outsiders.
"Police are treating us like criminals. We are being given dry rotis, bananas and stale rice. It is hard to tell whether we are in a refugee camp or a detention centre," a woman at the camp told reporters.
In its suo motu cognisance of the violence, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) dispatched a fact-finding team to the area and has sought a detailed report from the state government within three weeks.
The NHRC members took note after talking to members of the affected families staying at the camp at the Parlalpur High School.
The Commission on Tuesday had said that it had decided to send a team to conduct an on-the-spot inquiry into the incidents, considering the seriousness of the situation.
A delegation from the National Commission for Women (NCW) led by chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar also visited the camp to assess the condition of women displaced by the violence, which erupted during protests against the Centre's amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
"I am shocked by the condition of women and children here. They were forcibly evicted from their homes and have gone through unimaginable trauma," Rahatkar told reporters after interacting with camp residents.
NCW member Archana Majumdar, accompanying Rahatkar, alleged that women were molested and driven out of their homes.
"It is the state government's responsibility to ensure their safety. What is the TMC doing? Is the government trying to turn West Bengal into another Bangladesh?" Majumdar said.
The NCW delegation is expected to spend the night in Malda before heading to Murshidabad on Saturday.
The panel is scheduled to meet district officials, victims and eventually call on the Governor, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in Kolkata on Sunday.
The ruling Trinamool Congress criticised the visits by the Governor and NHRC and NCW teams, alleging that they were aimed at stoking tension in the already-volatile region.
"When the CM had requested him to delay the visit, the Governor should have honoured that. His actions show an intent to create unrest. The NCW and NHRC visits are also politically driven to help the BJP destabilise the situation," senior TMC MP Sougata Roy alleged.
Countering the allegations, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar accused the TMC of shielding those behind the violence for vote-bank politics.
"The TMC is panicking because these visits might expose their nexus with the rioters. They are appeasing miscreants for political gains," Majumdar told PTI.
At least three people were killed and over 274 arrested in connection with the violence that engulfed Muslim-majority areas such as Shamsherganj, Suti, Dhulian, and Jangipur in Murshidabad district.
Security has been tightened across the region, with paramilitary forces deployed alongside the state police to prevent further escalation.
Several families have fled Murshidabad and are now living in makeshift shelters in neighbouring Malda.
The communal clashes broke out during protests by sections of the Muslim community against the Centre's amendments to the Waqf Act, which, they allege, would centralise control over Muslim charitable properties and allow for their misuse.
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