A scene of communal tension at Baduria (Source: facebook)
An ‘objectionable’ Facebook post about a religious site has triggered communal clashes in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, prompting the Centre to rush 300 paramilitary personnel on Tuesday to bring the situation under control.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the clashes broke out between two communities in Baduria of the Basirhat sub-division over the “objectionable” post.
The clashes led to a war of words between the chief minister and Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi. Briefing the media at the state secretariat, Banerjee accused Tripathi of threatening her over phone and alleged that he was acting like a “BJP block president”. “He (Governor) threatened me over phone. The way he spoke, taking the side of BJP, I felt insulted. I have told him that he cannot talk like this,” Banerjee told reporters. “He (the governor) is behaving like a block president of BJP. He should understand that he has been nominated to the post…,” she said. “He talked big on law and order. I am not here at the mercy of anyone. The way he spoke to me, I once thought of leaving (the chair).”
Meanwhile, the BJP alleged that over 2000 Muslims attacked Hindu families in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal and its offices at several places were set on fire. Accusing the state police of failing to control the situation, party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is also in charge of the state, urged Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene in the matter.
Several shops were torched and houses ransacked in Baduria, Tentulia and Golabari. On Monday night, a mob attacked Baduria police station and set ablaze several police vehicles.