Prohibitory orders in some parts of Kolkata after communal violence on Sunday

communal violence
Image Courtesy: siasat.com

The Kolkatta police have banned the gathering of four or more persons in some areas of Kolkata from October 10 till October 12, a day after communal violence was reported in the city, according to PTI.

The clashes between two communities were reported in Kolkata’s Mominpur area on Saturday (October 8) night, both Indian Express and India Today reported over flags displayed on the Muslim festival of Milad-un-Nabi. According to the police, the violence erupted on Sunday night after religious flags put up for Milad un-Nabi were allegedly vandalised. As many as 38 people have been detained for causing a ruckus in the area. Additionally, five people, including BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar have been arrested in connection with the violence.

The next night, several houses were ransacked and cars were destroyed in the neighbouring Mayurbhanj area. A mob reportedly also vandalised the Ekbalpur police station, the newspaper reported citing locals. The police said they have detained 10 persons for questioning. Reportedly, several cops including Deputy Commissioner of Police Soumya Roy, have been injured in the violence. He was hit by a crude bomb and is undergoing treatment.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to amplify the incidents of violence, claiming that several businesses and properties of Hindus in the area were damaged due to the violence. After the violence erupted in Mominpur, on Saturday, BJP’s social media head Amit Malviya took to Twitter to slam the ruling government under Mamata Banerjee. He said communal riots have “become common under her governance.”

Both he and other BJP “leaders” from Bengal including former TMC politician, Suvendu Adhikari and columnist Swapan Dasgupta were quick to make political capital. Adhikari said that he has written to Home Minister Amit Shah and Governor La Ganesan about the violence and sought the deployment of central forces in the area. Dasgupta stated, “It stems from the distorted empowerment resulting from a belief that one community is above the law and the norms of civic responsibility,” Dasgupta said. “I have written to the Prime Minister drawing his attention to the panic of vulnerable Hindu communities in West Bengal to this ugly assertion of sectarian identity.”

Malviya’s tweet was predictably toxic. He also added, “Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it”, referring to the 1946 Noakhali riots. He drew comparison between the two incidents happening on the same day when Hindus celebrate ‘Kojagari Lakshmi Puja’ or Sharad Purnima.

NDTV reported that BJP’s West Bengal President, Sukanta Majumdar was detained by the police after he attempted to visit the violence-hit areas on Monday, NDTV reported.Before he was detained, Majumdar alleged that the role of the police in containing the violence was deplorable. In turn, general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, Kunal Ghosh accused BJP of indulging in “vulture politics” and that police brought the situation under control, ANI reported.

“BJP is provoking and trying to give colour to it,” he said. “No clashes should take place ideally, but they happened; now it’s under control.”