Three people were killed in West Bengal's Murshidabad district Saturday amid violent protests statewide over changes to the Waqf laws - which govern how Muslim charitable properties are administered in the country - enter a second consecutive day.
Two of the three killed were a father and his son; their bodies were found, riddled with multiple stab wounds, at their home in Jafrabad in Samserganj area of the district, police said.
The third death was a person who sustained a bullet wound in Dhulian in Samserganj.
Several injuries have also been reported, including to an unspecified number of security personnel 'attacked' by protesters, which prompted the cops to use tear gas and conduct a lathi charge.
Large-scale violence - including police vehicles set on fire, railway tracks blocked, and property vandalised - was reported from Stuti and Samserganj in the Muslim-majority district.
Teams from the Railway Police Force and the Border Security Force were deployed.
Violence was also reported from Malda, South 24 Paraganas, and Hooghly districts.
BJP vs Trinamool Over Waqf Violence
The violence also triggered a predictable political slugfest, with the BJP attributing it to the "appeasement politics" of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress.
The BJP's Amit Malviya labelled the Chief Minister - who has appealed for peace - a "liar" and claimed, "... she was the first to stoke widespread discontent against the Waqf amendments... she actively instigated and sponsored violence, particularly after Friday prayers."
He also slammed the Chief Minister for saying she would not implement the law.
"The truth is... no state government has the authority to block a law passed by the Indian Parliament. Mamata Banerjee has no choice but to comply. She bears full responsibility for the communal violence and the tragic loss of life that has followed," he said.
Earlier Ms Banerjee had gone on X to urge "people of all religions (to) please remain calm".
"Do not engage in irreligious behaviour in the name of religion. Every human life is precious; do not incite riots for politics..." she said in a post in Bengali.
The Chief Minister also said she would not implement the new laws in her state. "We have made our position clear ... we do not support this law. It will not be implemented in our state..."
She also warned of legal action against those inciting the riots.
"Minimum Force Used", Cops
Meanwhile, Jawed Shamim, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), said the cops were not involved in the firing. He said speculation it was the BSF would be investigated.
"We are not trigger-happy," he said in response to claims of police firing, stressing that "minimum force" had been used to disperse protesters and that 118 had been arrested so far.
"We will take strong action against people indulging in hooliganism and rumour-mongering. People have to realise reality (and to) those spreading misinformation about the Waqf Bill... our force is on the ground (already). This rumour-mongering has to stop," he told reporters.
"Things are getting under control but we have to be very alert... and we need the media's cooperation. The public, the media, and the police need to work together," he said.
He also said orders banning large gatherings had been imposed in some areas, and called for cooperation from all sections of society. "The situation is under control... everything was normal even last night but today morning there was an unfortunate incident (the gunshot injury) ..."
Protests Against New Waqf Laws
Protests against changes to the Waqf laws have been gathering steam for days now, ever since they were approved by Parliament. Last week there were demonstrations in Kolkata.
Visuals from the Bengal capital then showed a large crowd waving the national flag and carrying posters proclaiming 'we reject Waqf amendment' and 'Reject Waqf Bill' gathering at public meeting sites. Many protests were organised by the Joint Forum for Waqf Protection.
READ | Huge Protests In Kolkata, Chennai After Waqf Bill Clears Parliament
There were also protests in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Jaipur, and Lucknow.
READ | Protests Against Waqf Bill In Manipur, House Of BJP Leader Torched
There were also violent protests last week in the northeast; the house of Manipur BJP leader Asker Ali was set on fire by a mob, allegedly for his support of the changed Waqf laws.
Parliament Clears Waqf Amendments
The controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill was cleared by Parliament last week - after 30+ hours of bitter sniping and fierce rhetoric between the ruling BJP and its allies, and the opposition.
READ | Waqf Bill, Cleared By Parliament After Heated Debates, Gets President's Nod
The Trinamool was among those fiercely opposed to the amendments.
Among the big changes, the revised Waqf laws mandate the nomination of two non-Muslim members to state Waqf boards and the central Waqf council. It also requires individuals making donations certify themselves as 'practicing Muslims' for at least five years previously.
NDTV Explains | Rules On 2 Non-Muslims Among 14 Changes To Waqf Laws
These and many other concerns raised by Muslims and the opposition, including fears the centre will take over the Waqf boards, were dismissed by Union Minority Affairs Minister Rijiju when he tabled the Waqf Bill in Parliament. He insisted non-Muslims could not now interfere in Waqf Board affairs, as its management, creation, and beneficiaries would remain exclusively from the Muslim community.
The Supreme Court will hear 15 petitions challenging the new Waqf laws on April 16.
With input from agencies
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