A heavy police deployment, including the Rapid Action Force, continues to maintain vigil across sensitive areas, particularly in and around Jangipur town, where the worst of the violence unfolded on April 8. Authorities have also intensified patrolling and naka-checking to prevent further unrest.

How the violence unfolded

The violence erupted on the afternoon of April 8, 2025, in Omarpur, under Raghunathganj police limits, when hundreds of protesters blocked National Highway-12 (NH-12) demanding a rollback of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Clashes began after police attempted to disperse the crowd, leading to widespread stone-pelting and arson. At least five police vehicles were vandalised—two of which were set ablaze—and a firearm was reportedly snatched from a policeman.

According to official reports, nine people, including four police personnel, were injured in the violence. The mob allegedly shattered windows of vehicles and ransacked shops and houses near the protest site. Protesters refused to clear the highway despite repeated police warnings. In response, police resorted to lathi-charges and tear gas to disperse the crowd and regain control.

Government measures and public safety

In response to the unrest, Murshidabad District Magistrate Rajarshi Mitra passed an executive order imposing restrictions under Section 163 BNSS, prohibiting gatherings of five or more people in areas where there is a perceived threat to public order. State Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty later issued an order suspending internet services in the entire Jangipur region until April 11 to prevent the spread of misinformation and communal tension.

Superintendent of Police Ananda Roy, who visited the violence-hit areas, confirmed detentions and ongoing operations to identify more suspects. “Some policemen were injured, including a deputy superintendent. Legal proceedings will follow against those involved in the violence and rumour-mongering,” he said, as per Hindustan Times.

Political fallout and divided reactions

The incident has sparked sharp political reactions. West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose condemned the violence and urged the state government to take “bold action” against those disturbing law and order. “Attempts to disturb public peace must be crushed with an iron hand,” he said, as per Times of India.

The opposition BJP was quick to blame the Mamata Banerjee-led state government for “minority appeasement” and deteriorating law and order. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar claimed “violent Islamist mobs” were behind the riots and accused the administration of suppressing the truth by suspending internet services. He further alleged that Hindus were being targeted under the garb of protests.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury held both the BJP and TMC responsible, accusing them of politicising the issue for communal gain. He criticised the police for their excessive force and demanded a more sensitive approach in a region where over 70 percent of the population is Muslim. Chowdhury warned against stoking further unrest in Murshidabad’s communally fragile landscape.

In contrast, Siddiqullah Chowdhury, a senior TMC leader and state minister, criticised the police crackdown. “Even during the Left rule, police never baton-charged minorities. If there was violence, action must be taken against the guilty. But lathi-charging an entire rally is unacceptable,” he said.

The Waqf (Amendment) Act and its wider impact

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025—passed by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha after extended debates and signed into law by President Droupadi Murmu—officially came into effect on April 8. The law aims to allegedly modernise the governance of Waqf properties by enhancing transparency, ensuring better coordination between Waqf boards and local authorities, and safeguarding heritage assets.

However, it has been met with opposition from several Muslim organisations and political parties, who argue that the new provisions, especially the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf boards, amount to undue interference in religious affairs. The opposition has labelled the law “anti-democratic” and accused the union of undermining the rights of religious minorities.

The Murshidabad incident is the most violent among a string of protests that have taken place in West Bengal and other states like Tamil Nadu. As per a report of Mint, BJP leaders circulated unverified videos allegedly showing protesters rejecting the Indian Constitution—claims that have been strongly contested by local groups.

Conclusion: Calm returns, but tensions linger

As of April 9, the police report that normalcy has been restored, with traffic on NH-12 resuming and no further incidents reported. However, prohibitory orders and internet restrictions continue to ensure preventive security. Authorities have promised strict legal action against those who instigated violence and against anyone spreading misinformation online.

The political and communal overtones of the protest continue to reverberate across West Bengal, revealing the deep polarisation around religious legislation. While the law has been enacted, the resistance to it—and the state’s handling of dissent—signals that tensions are far from resolved in Murshidabad and beyond.

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Amid rumours blaming Muslims, drunk café owner Siddharth Singh arrested for vandalising Veer Tejaji idol in Jaipur

In Congress-ruled Himachal, Hindutva goons ask minorities to leave state, saying ‘Don’t pollute Himachal’

The post 22 arrested, internet suspended as Murshidabad recovers from Waqf Act protest violence appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The data turnaround data released in such a way that clearly indicating a confirmation biased of media channels in between the contesting parties in Bengal and Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Most of the exit polls have predicted that the BJP will get more seats than the Bengal’s ruling party TMC in the state.

NDA inclined Exit Polls for Bengal by National Media:

The Exit Polls by major media house inclined towards NDA.  As per date released by India Today-Axis My India Exit Polls for the 20224 Lok Sabha elections BJP likely to win 26-31 seats in Bengal and TMC will remain in between 11-14 and 0-2 for Left(M). The India Today-Axis My India exit poll predicted the BJP to get 46 per cent vote share in West Bengal. ABP Ananda Exit Polls in association with CVoter conducted Exit Polls and expected 23-27 seats for BJP, 13-17 for TMC, 1-3 INC. Not surprisingly, Republic TV PMARQ made a conservative estimate of 22 seats for BJP out of 47 and rest for others. As per Exit Polls released by Jan Ki Baat, NDA will get 21-26 seats, TMC 16-18 seats and others 0-2 seats.

Bengal’s local Exit Polls for Lok Sabha 2024 expects INDIA Bloc will get setback:

The Senior Journalist and Editor Santanu Dutta Choudhary from West Bengal expected 22-24 seats for TMC, 16-18 seats for BJP, 1 to Congress and 0-1 CPI(M). Bengal’s “Nagorik” News media house in their Exit Polls anticipated 22-24 seats for TMC, 16-18 to BJP and 2 seats for Congress and CPM. The exit polls data released by West Bengal’s local news channel Calcutta News estimated 20-25 seats for TMS and 16 to 21 for BJP and rest for left and congress.

Tulmuk in Nandigram, where Debangshu Bhattacharya is an MP candidate from TMC. This place is also known as Adhikari gar (means the place for Debangshu Adhikari). However, Debangshu Bhattacharya busted over the media hype taking reference from the previous poll. Over the Exit Polls he said, “Purba Medinipur has 16 seats where 9 seats were won by TMC and if we see the talks about the undivided Medinipur, it has 35 seats and TMC secured 26 seats.

TMC MP Sougata Roy, who is seeking re-election from the Dum Dum Lok Sabha seat for a fourth consecutive term, also rejected the exit poll predictions. TMC said it believed in people’s mandate.

Hasty turnaround of Exit Polls misleading and biased:

The exit polls released by National Media House no doubt biased and inclined towards ruling party. Shockingly Times Now provided mismatched data in Exit Polls. Times Now expected BJP likely to win 21 seats and 20 seats to TMC out of 42 but no clear on other 1 seat.

The post Hasty exit poll conducted during the seventh phase of voting in Bengal appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Chief Electoral Office of West Bengal spoke on X, formerly Twitter, that an FIR has been lodged by the Sector Officer, and necessary action has been initiated. The CEO has stated that fresh EVMs were provided.

(1/2)
Today morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU , 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond.

— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) June 1, 2024

PTI shared visuals of the EVMs floating in water.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EVM and VVPAT machine were reportedly thrown in water by a mob at booth number 40, 41 in Kultai, South 24 Parganas, #WestBengal.

(Source: Third Party)#LSPolls2024WithPTI #LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/saFiNcG3e4

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 1, 2024

The CEO of West Bengal gave details of the event, narrating how at at 6:40 am, reserve EVMs, papers of the Sector Officer was looted by a mob, along with that one Control Unit, one Ballot Unit, and two VVPAT machines were taken and thrown into a nearby pond. The CEO has assured on his social media that elections are continuing without any further hassle in the state with fresh EVMs.

As per a report in the Times of India, the incident occurred because some polling agents were denied entry in the polling area.

As per reports, Friday night witnessed conflict flare up in Sandeshkhali, at the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency. Local women took to the streets in protest. They alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists and state police had been threatening their families.

The women specifically accused workers of the now-suspended Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who is currently in prison, of the intimidation tactics. However, state police have said a different version and have stated that the unrest began when local BJP supporters assaulted others.

As of now, the country is witnessing polling in 13 constituencies in Punjab, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, 9 in West Bengal, 8 in Bihar, 6 in Odisha, 4 in Himachal Pradesh, 3 in Jharkhand, and Chandigarh.

West Bengal is going ahead with voting in 9 constituencies, which include Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar. As per available data, around 10.06 crore Indians are eligible voters in this round of polling.

Meanwhile, as Prime Minister Modi’s constituency goes to vote on the final day of voting, the Samajwadi Party has taken to X to claim that the Congress’ button on the EVM had a tape sealed over it. The party has tagged election and district officials on their tweet as well.

UP Take has reported voters saying that in Ballia the EVMs voters were asked to vote on were faulty and non-functional. The person has alleged that there was no sound coming from the EVM when she had gone to vote, and the election officials at the site reportedly told her to vote and leave.

The elections have seen numerous claims of bogus voting, booth capturing, denial of right to vote, and allegations of EVM theft. The Samajwadi Party recently led a night-long protest vigil in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur after they saw a truck full of EVMs being transported. They accused the BJP of trying to do vote tampering.

Similarly, scores of Muslims were reportedly denied the right to vote in UP’s Sambhal, as well as Gujarat where Muslim fishermen found that over 500 members of the community did not find their names in the list.

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Reports of bogus voting from Maharashtra’s Beed and Pune

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The 2010 Memorandum between UIDAI and West Bengal when CPI-M ruled the state may be read here.

On Sunday, February 18, media reported how Mamata Banerjee, chief minister (CM), West Bengal had lashed out at the Union Government on cases of thousands of Bengal residents receiving letters from branch offices of the UIDAI “de-activating their Aadhaar cards. Sanmarg a portal had also carried reports on Saturday.

Today, Tuesday, February 20, Dr Gopalkrishna, in an open letter to Mamata Banerjee has, while welcoming her move urged how and why, after the Supreme Court’s verdict of September 26, 2018 and November 13, 2019, in the aftermath of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 (as amended in 2019), there is a logical and legal compulsion for States to un-sign their MoUs with UIDAI.

The professor points out that these MoUs were signed in the pre-Aadhaar Act era and continued to operate in the era when unconstitutional Sections like Section 57 of Aadhaar Act was recognised and declared as unconstitutional and illegitimate by the Supreme Court’s verdict of September 26, 2018 and by the deletion of Section 57 by the amendment of 2019 in Aadhaar Act. The verdict of November 13, 2019 recognised that the entire Act is unconstitutional.

Section 57 of un-amended Aadhaar Act, 2016 stated that “Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the use of Aadhaar number for establishing the identity of an individual for any purpose, whether by the State or anybody corporate or person, pursuant to any law, for the time being in force, or any contract to this effect”.

Section 25 of the Amendment Act 2019 states that Section 57 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 has been omitted with effect from July 24, 2019.

This MoU signed between the West Bengal government & UIDAI “is outdated and it imperils the autonomy of the State and the citizens. Your considered intervention will pave the way for other States to act on this MoU which is facilitating unlimited and indiscriminate mass surveillance and mass spying at the behest of World Bank’s eTransform Initiative and its partners since 2010. “

Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties (CFCL) welcomes your letter to Hon’ble Prime Minister on the subject of “Aadhaar is becoming inactive” in defence of the natural and fundamental rights of fellow citizens.

Dr Gopalkrishna’s Open Letter to CM West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee:

“I submit that a 7-judge Constitution Bench has been constituted to declare it to be so in order to adhere to judicial discipline. The fact remains no sane person will wait for formal announcement of poison to desist from consuming poison.

Aadhaar Act is a poisonous law.

“It is a black law akin to the colonial law which was bitterly resisted by Mahatma Gandhi’s first Satyagrah. Our Hon’ble Chief Justice of India has declared this law to be a fraud on the Constitution of India in his order dated September 26, 2018. He has reiterated it on at least two more occasions. In this backdrop, constitutional, legal, judicial and political imagination creates a logical compulsion to resist this law which creates an architecture of unlimited government based on 360 degree surveillance. It is eroding the constitutionally mandated autonomy of States beyond repair.

“I submit that West Bengal’s Home Department signed the attached MoU with UIDAI on July 1, 2010. Shri A.G. Ghosh, OSD & ex-officio Special Secretary signed it on behalf of Home Department, West Bengal Government and Shri Nirmal Kumar Sinha, Deputy Director General, UIDAI, Planning Commission signed it on behalf of UIDAI.

“This MoU is outdated and it imperils the autonomy of the State and the citizens. Your considered intervention will pave the way for other States to act on this MoU which is facilitating unlimited and indiscriminate mass surveillance and mass spying at the behest of World Bank’s eTransform Initiative and its partners since 2010.

“Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties (CFCL) welcomes your letter to Hon’ble Prime Minister on the subject of “Aadhaar is becoming inactive” in defence of the natural and fundamental rights of fellow citizens.

(Source: https://www.livehindustan.com/national/story-why-aadhaar-is-becoming-inactive-west-bengal-mamata-banerjee-wrote-a-letter-asking-for-reply-from-pm-9346756.html)

Reference articles by Dr Gopalkrishna:

“India’s First Metadata case: Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench to decide illegitimacy of Aadhaar Act amid Great Data Robbery” (https://mainstreamweekly.net/article13958.html), “India’s First Metadata Case and Pegasus – Part 2” (http://mainstreamweekly.net/article14053.html) and India’s First Metadata case: Mass Surveillance, Mass Spying and Unending Census Part 3 (http://mainstreamweekly.net/article14196.html) provides robust argument in this regard.

Having worked on the subject since 2010, I will be happy to share more details regarding the illegitimacy of Aadhaar Act. ”

Background provided by Dr Gopalkrishna (excerpted from his articles):

Metadata ability to redefine human existence in ways which are yet fully to be perceived. Justice DY Chandrachud, in the November 2019 judgment before he assumed office as CJI, drew on the paper of Christina Moniodis titled “Moving from Nixon to NASA: Privacy’s Second Strand- A Right to Informational Privacy”. Dr. Chandrachud cites her with approval. He states that metadata “results in the creation of new knowledge about individuals; something which even she or he did not possess. This poses serious issues for the Court. In an age of rapidly evolving technology it is impossible for a judge to conceive of all the possible uses of information or its consequences.”

Also drawing from the Yvonne McDermott’s paper “Conceptualizing the right to data protection in an era of Big Data”, Dr. Chandrachud observes, “The contemporary age has been aptly regarded as “an era of ubiquitous dataveillance, or the systematic monitoring of citizen’s communications or actions through the use of information technology”. It is also an age of “big data” or the collection of data sets. These data sets are capable of being searched; they have linkages with other data sets; and are marked by their exhaustive scope and the permanency of collection.”

The (2019) verdict refers to the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) Tele2 Sverige AB vs. Post-och telestyrelsen (2016) wherein it was seized with the issue as to whether in light of Digital Rights Ireland, a national law which required a provider of electronic communications services to retain meta-data (name, address, telephone number and IP address) regarding users/subscribers for the purpose of fighting crime was contrary to Article 7, 8 and 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The CJEU struck down the provision allowing collection of such meta data on grounds of lack of purpose limitation, data differentiation, data protection, prior review by a court or administrative authority and consent.

Here are some reasons for scrapping Aadhaar databases scheme and repealing Aadhaar Act (as enunciated by Dr Gopalkrishna):

1. The majority order of the Supreme Court’s 5-Judge Constitution Bench on September 26, 2018, has pointed out that the UID/Aadhaar Number project and NPR project are part of the one database convergence scheme. NPR has been mentioned at least on eight occasions in the order to underline the same. A centralized database is the most vulnerable entity in the digital world. The leakage of the database of UK’s children has revealed the old maxim, “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear, has been given a very public burial”. This has been thoroughly debunked. This maxim is attributed to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. Database State, a report from the UK, states: ‘In October 2007, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (Department) lost two discs containing a copy of the entire child benefit database.’ Only blind faith in a Utopian State can persuade people to think that they have nothing to fear after trusting their personal sensitive information to a Database State and non-State actors like Safran, Ernst & Young and Accenture.

2. One of the earliest documents that refer to UIDAI, a 14-page document titled ’Strategic Vision: Unique Identification of Residents’ prepared by Wipro Ltd for the government envisaged the close linkage that the UIDAI’s Aadhaar would have with the electoral database. The use of the electoral database mentioned in Wipro’s document remains on the agenda of the proponents of UID/Aadhaar.

3. The 41-page Wikileaked document titled ’Creating a unique identity number for every resident in India’ that declared itself to be a ’Confidential- property of UIDAI’ reveals that from day one the Union government wanted to create a file on each of “1.2 billion residents”, the division of work between Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)’s NPR and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY)’s UID/Aadhaar was/is merely an attention diversion tactics to outwit citizen’s scrutiny.

The ongoing merger of the electoral database with UID/Aadhaar number debunks UIDAI’s claim in the confidential document that UID/Aadhaar number “will not contain intelligence” and “the location of the person. “From these disclosures, it seems that the government has adopted an adversarial role vis-a-vis Indians and acting beyond its constitutional mandate in order to pander to the interests of the commercial czars, non-state actors and foreign intelligence companies.

4. In an RTI reply dated October 25, 2013, UIDAI shared a truncated contract agreement with Ernst & Young. The contract agreement states that “the Unique ID will be a random 12-digit number with the basis for establishing uniqueness of identity being biometrics”. It announces that “we will provide a Unique Identity to over 113.9 crore people.”

This is evidently a fraudulent announcement because UIDAI with which the agreement has been signed had the mandate to provide Unique Identity to only 60 crore residents of India, and not to 113.9 crore people.

It is evident that while the government kept Ernst & Young informed about its motive, it kept states, citizens, the parliament and the Supreme Court in the dark. The contract agreement reveals that “biometric systems are not 100 % accurate” and “uniqueness of the biometrics is still a postulate.” This admission pulverizes the deceptive edifice on which MEITY’s UID/Aadhaar and MHA’s NPR rests.

5. Section 57 of un-amended Aadhaar Act, 2016 stated that “Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the use of Aadhaar number for establishing the identity of an individual for any purpose, whether by the State or anybody corporate or person, pursuant to any law, for the time being in force, or any contract to this effect”.

It implies that UID/Aadhaar of “over 113.9 crore people” has been shared with foreign private body corporates like Ernst & Young. It is only after the horse had escaped the barn that the door was closed through Section 25 of Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019 in compliance with the Court’s order dated September 26, 2018.

Section 25 of the Amendment Act 2019 states that Section 57 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 has been omitted with effect from July 24, 2019.

6. At paragraph 8 of the majority order authored by Justice A K Sikri, it is recorded that “a Processes Committee was set up on July 03, 2006, to suggest the process for updation, modification, addition and deletion of data and fields from the core database to be created under the Unique Identification for BPL Families project.

This Committee, on November 26, 2006, prepared a paper known as ’Strategic Vision Unique Identification of Residents’. Based thereupon, the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) was set up on December 04, 2006, to collate the National Population Register under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Unique Identification Number project of the Department “of Information Technology.

Subsequently, “a Committee of Secretaries was formed. The said Committee gave its recommendations which were discussed by EGoM. After approving the Aadhaar Scheme in principle, it instructed the Cabinet Secretary to convene a meeting to finalise the detailed organisational structure of the UID.

After considering the recommendation of the Cabinet Secretary, Notification No. A-43011/02/2009-Admn.I was issued on January 28, 2009, by the Government of India which constituted and notified the UIDAI.” Annexure 1 of this notification that constituted UIDAI deals with the Role and Responsibilities of UIDAI. The fourth point in this notification reads: “implementation of UID scheme will entail” taking “necessary steps to ensure collation of NPR with UID (as per. approved strategy)”.

7. The minutes of a meeting of the Committee of Secretaries held under Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary November 23, 2015 talks of “integrating the twin approaches under NPR and Aadhaar.”

The “integrating the twin approaches under NPR and Aadhaar” which is referred here is the same as taking “necessary steps to ensure collation of NPR with UID (as per. approved strategy)” underlined in the notification mentioned in the Aadhaar Act.

8. A Ministry of Home Affairs communication dated July 19, 2019 states that “The National Population Register (NPR) thus prepared, was seeded with Aadhaar number during its updation exercise in 2015 along with a collection of demographic details of new household members. Approx. 60 crores Aadhaar numbers have been seeded in NPR Database.”

This communication discloses that “It has now been decided by the Ministry of Home Affairs to update the existing NPR database during April 2020 – September 2020 along with House listing & Housing Census phase of Census 2021. While updating the NPR, the Aadhaar number of all the individuals whose Aadhaar number is not available in the NPR Database will also be collected along with various other items. Necessary notification for updating NPR in 2020 will be issued shortly.”

9. The Court’s order reveals that “A core group was set up to advise and further the work related to UIDAI…The core group, inter alia, decided that it was better to start with the electoral roll database of 2009 for undertaking the UIDAI project.” If an UID/Aadhaar-enabled Biometric Attendance System is indeed a ‘digital equivalent’ of an ‘age-old attendance register,’ why did the National Human Rights Commission object to a radio collar which can also be argued by sophists to be a ‘digital equivalent’? It may be recalled that the Union Ministry of External Affairs had agreed with the NHRC’s assessment. The Union minister of external affairs informed Parliament that some 18 students were detained and released in the US with radio monitoring devices on their ankles, pending completion of investigations for possible involvement in irregularities. ’We have also strongly protested the radio collars as unacceptable, which should be removed immediately.’ If the ‘digital equivalent’ means biometric equivalent as well, then radio collar and DNA-based identity and attendance will also be deemed equivalent to ‘age-old attendance register.’ It is quite evident that such claims are deeply misleading.

10. The reference to ‘such other biological attributes’ in Section 2 (g) of Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, and the definition of ‘biometrics’ under the Information Technology (Reasonable security practices and procedures and sensitive personal data or information) Rules, 2011 under section 87 read with section 43A of Information Technology Act, 2000 underlines that it includes ‘the technologies that measure and analyse human body characteristics, such as “fingerprints”, “eye retinas and irises”, “voice patterns”, “facial patterns”, “hand measurements” and “DNA” for authentication purposes.’ It is abundantly clear that the plan of UID/Aadhaar-based surveillance does not end with the collection of fingerprints and iris scan, it goes quite beyond it.

The confidential document of UIDAI reveals that “One way to ensure that the unique identification (UID) number is used by all government and private agencies is by inserting it into the birth certificate of the infant. Since the birth certificate is the original identity document, it is likely that this number will then persist as the key identifier through the individual’s various life events, such as joining school, immunizations, voting etc.” Notably, there has never been any occasion wherein there was an all-party meeting to seek the consent of all the political parties with regard to merger of UID/Aadhaar database with “electoral roll database”. It is evident that the provision of Electoral Bonds in the Companies Act, 2013 and the merger of Voter-ID Number and Aadhaar Number through amendment in Aadhaar Act is an exercise in merger of electoral database and Aadhaar database which will lead to extinction of political and civil rights of present and future generations.

According to Dr Gopalkrishna, Justice Sikri authored order of Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench missed the opportunity to save present and future Indians from the dictatorship of faceless donors created through Finance Act 2017 and Finance Act 2018 which has compromised national security and almost all the public institutions. He has made citizens and natural persons residing in India naked and transparent in a legal system in which artificial persons, the opaqueness of body corporates has been legalized. The order committed a Himalayan blunder by ruling that right to have natural and human rights of citizens can be made conditional. This is being done by the government at the behest of the beneficial owners of ungovernable technology companies who have turned ruling political parties into puppets through their limitless and anonymous transnational donations.

This creates a compelling reason for the States to un-sign the MoUs they have signed with UIDAI and discontinue both UID/Aadhaar and NPR exercise. This is required to resist the emergence of an unlimited government, unlimited by the Constitution of India and Constitutionalism. Aadhaar database scheme is an unlimited census in disguise. It is naturalising mass surveillance and mass spying in myriad disguises and through diverse kinds of fish baits.

There is a compelling logic for setting up a High Powered Commission of Inquiry to probe the ongoing bartering of citizen’s databases and transfer of national data assets to foreign entities. In the face of assault on citizens’ rights and the emergence of a regime that is making legislatures and judiciary subservient to automatic identification, big data mining and artificial intelligence companies, the order of Justice Sikri undermined the Constitution and the sovereignty of the citizens who framed it. If the flawed order is not reversed by the 7-judge Constitution Bench, India’s social policies will be guided by biometric and genetic determinism and eugenic thinking of beneficial owners of unaccountable and admittedly undemocratic institutions.

In a country where no intelligence chief or official has been held accountable for the assassination of three of its Prime Ministers and for betraying the nation’s secrets, can it be hoped that all those who have compromised India’s data security will be made liable for their treacherous acts of transferring the sensitive data of present and future citizens including ministers, legislators, soldiers, and judges?

(The author, Dr. Gopal Krishna is a lawyer and law and philosophy researcher. He had appeared before the Parliamentary Committee that examined the National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010 that was withdrawn in 2016 and enacted later as Aadhaar Act 2016)

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author’s personal views, and do not necessarily represent the views of Sabrangindia

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The post Logical, Legal Compulsion for West Bengal, other states to un-sign MoUs with UIDAI: Expert to Mamata Banerjee appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The news quickly spread among the local Muslim community, who instantly alerted the Malda police, following which the police immediately intervened and reportedly put an end to the incursion which also saw an argument.

According to The Telegraph,, an FIR has been filed against the priest including Maharaj Hiranmoy Goswami and a ‘few others.’ The report states that sources have claimed that the complaint was lodged by the ASI following the incident.

Nizamuddin Biswas, who is the state secretary of the All Bengal Imam Muezzin Association and Charitable Trust, has condemned the act, and has called for strict legal action not only against Goswami but also against the other people who were involved in the incident.

Abdur Rahim Boxi, the Malda unit president of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and an MLA, has assured the public that the incident would be addressed in accordance with the law. He has also further appealed for communal harmony and peace in the wake of the controversy. “We have discussed the issue. Police have appealed for religious harmony. The administration has handled the matter assertively. No violence was reported”

An official, anonymously stated to The Telegraph, “Acting on the complaint received from the end of the ASI, police lodged a complaint formally.” However, the police have thus far declined to comment on the issue, though the report states that the police are choosing to be vigilant on the issue.

According to Siasat Daily, additional police presence has been deployed to ensure the maintenance of law and order in the area after the incident. BJP district president from Malda has thus far stated he is out of state and doesn’t know what has happened, and wanted the “police and administration to handle the situation and let harmony prevail.”

According to an essay in Outlook Magazine, the Adina Mosque was one of the largest mosques in the country. It was created in the 12th century by Sikander Shah, the then king. The essay also claims that the demand to convert the mosque into a temple have been on the internet for the past few years by Hindutva supporters. The essay notes that there is little record by historians or archaeologists, who often went to the site, of there being any Hindu temple in the past.

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The first incident took place when two men were beaten to death in the village of South Mainna in Navgram late Friday, December 22.

The mob violence was reportedly fuelled by allegations of cow theft, where a crowd turned up and beat two Muslim men to death late on Friday night. However, despite being rushed to Vardhman Medical College Hospital, the two succumbed to their injuries on the following morning. According to Maktoob Media, the District Superintendent of Police Aman Deep has revealed that the assailants who are thought to have entered the village with a cargo vehicle are now being pursued by the police.

Similarly, in West Bengal’s Haribhaktapur, a 45 year old man was lynched because he was reportedly accused to stealing goat on December 23rd. The man, Ruhul Amin Sheikh was a 45-year-old Muslim man who was captured and tied to a tree, and brutally beaten. Following these events, he tragically succumbed to his injuries at Murshidabad Medical College Hospital. Local sources reported that the incident unfolded when three men were allegedly attempting to steal goats. While two suspects managed to run away from the mob, these reports allege that Sheikh was captured and subsequently beaten by the mob. The police finally rescued Sheikh and thereafter he was transferred to the hospital.

According to Maktoob Media, no formal complaint had been filed at the time of reporting. Similarly, The Observer Post has reported that this was the third incident of mob lynching of a Muslim man to happen in the past 72 hours. SDP S K Samuddin had informed The Observer Post that an investigation will be initiated if a complaint is registered.

The report also reveals that the village had seen incidents of thefts for quite a while however the police had not taken any cognisance according to the villagers. Just earlier this month, on December 4, a Muslim man was beaten to death in the state under suspicions of theft, taking the number of mob lynchings of Muslims in December 2023 to four in the state of West Bengal.

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However, according to The Observer Post, the 58-year-old Jahanara Bibi made a lasting impact on the lives of several families after she became the first person in the region to donate organs after passing away. The decision has provided a new lease on life for four individuals at Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital. The medical team at SSKM further thanked Jahanara Bibi’s family for the generous donation. 

According to the report, Jahanara Bibi and her son were returning home on a bike a few days ago when she suffered a cerebral stroke and collapsed on the road. She was swiftly taken to Murshidabad Medical College Hospital and then she was later referred to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata for advanced care. But despite undergoing extensive treatment at the trauma care centre, she was declared brain-dead on December 7. Mehbub Alam, Jahanara Bibi’s son, recounted the horrific incident explaining how his mother fell while riding the bike, leading to a cerebral stroke and yet despite the tireless efforts of doctors and the family, she could not be saved. 

Jahanara Kabir was also incidentally the sister of Humayun Kabir who is the MLA of Bharatpur Assembly in Murshidabad from the All India Trinamool Congress. Kabir stood by his sister’s side during her treatment till the very end. When the medical team suggested posthumous organ donation, realising further treatment was futile, the family had initially shown hesitation, but after persuasion, including from Jahanara’s brother, Kabir, they consented to the donation. 

Reflecting on the decision, Humayun Kabir stated, “Religion encourages donation, and I believe there’s no greater donation than posthumous organ donation. Convincing my sister’s family for organ donation was essential. Her organs have brought new life to four people.”

However, according to the report, the hospital tried its best to find a suitable recipient for Jahanara’s heart, but could not find a suitable recipient. Following this, Jahanara’s heart was sent to Hyderabad, where a 72-year-old woman underwent a successful heart transplant at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences. Furthermore, Jahanara’s liver too found a new life in the body of a 25-year-old woman at SSKM, and furthermore, her kidneys brought renewed hope to two young people, aged 21 and 35. Updates from the recipients of the organs reveals that the organs have been transferred successfully and the patients are responding with positive results. 

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The report details that the police have stated that the attackers confronted Nazrul on the street after which they started beating him. Sheikh Nazrul and his son Rahul were transporting some material through an e-rickshaw when a flower merchant, known as Shanu Chattopadhyay, reportedly suspected Nazrul of being a thief. Chattopadhyay was then joined by some other men who took to attacking Nazrul due to which he was injured severely. His son was able to take him to the hospital however he was pronounced dead after his arrival there and succumbed to his injuries.

(e-rickshaw) through Harijan Palli. At that moment, the flower merchant Shanu Chattopadhyay, also known as Bhola, grew suspicious of Nazrul, suspecting him of theft.

Read the full report by @HiKibria on @TheObserverPost https://t.co/Y2hl5FkbMR

— Meer Faisal (@meerfaisal001) December 7, 2023

In an interview with The Observer Post, Rahul recounted the harrowing experience and the accusations levelled against his father, “My father used to work in a factory along Delhi Road and also engaged in buying and selling old iron parts. This morning, while transporting those parts towards Harijan Palli, the flower merchant Bhola accused my father of carrying stolen goods and began assaulting him. I fled from the spot. Later, upon returning with my uncle, I found my father lying on the road. When we transported him to the hospital, the doctors informed us of his demise.”

The police, led by DC Chandannagar Ishani Paul, reportedly arrived at the scene and have taken in the accused for questioning. A case has been registered based on the family’s complaint, and the investigation is underway.

The following day, West Bengal’s Sonarpur also witnessed an attack on a public meeting organised by the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), according to The Observer Post. The ADPR is a human rights organisation in Sonarpur operating on the principle of human rights and democracy. The attack was reportedly by people associated with Hindutva and it quickly turned chaotic when the group allegedly disrupted and attacked the gathering. The state general secretary of APDR, in a social media statement, asserted that armed Hindutva activists had planned to assault their meeting and began chanting provocative slogans like Jai Shri Ram to disrupt proceedings, “40-50 individuals affiliated with Hindutva organisations attempted to disrupt our meeting. The police intervened and stopped them, leading to scuffles. When the situation escalated, the police resorted to charging.”

According to a report, the APDR had organised a public meeting and named the event ‘Black Day’ to voice their protest against the Babri Masjid demolition. However, the event was disrupted when a group of 40-50 individuals attempted to disrupt it by chanting slogans, including Jai Shri Ram’ and Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

Ranjit Sur, the state general secretary of APDR, talked about the incident, stating that, “40-50 individuals affiliated with Hindutva organisations attempted to disrupt our meeting. The police intervened, halting them and leading to scuffles. As tensions escalated, the police resorted to charging.”

According to an essay by Outlook India, there is a resurgence of “centuries old” Islamophobia in West Bengal, contrary to its heritage of shared culture, pluralism, and secular values. The piece observes with insights from Arnab Saha, assistant professor of Bengali at Seth Anandram Jaipuria College in Kolkata that this xenophobia in Bengal is due to the work put in by Hindutva forces especially after the BJP’s 2014 victory in the general assembly. According to Saha, Anti-Muslim sentiments among Bengali Hindu elites have been present since the nineteenth century, and over time, these sentiments have permeated through various sections of Hindu society, extending to middle and even lower castes. Similarly, Sabrang India’s piece on the history of Hindutva narratives in Bengal, notes that the BJP has used misinformation and anti-minority rhetoric to woo voters. This polarisation by the BJP has even led to, what the article notes, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen saying, “The fanning of the dangerous flames of communal divisions has not occurred as strongly in Bengal since 1946.” In 2022 as well as 2023, West Bengal also witnessed violence and anti-Muslim sentiment during the Ram Navami processions which were organised at the behest of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. An independent fact-finding report led by former Patna High Court Chief Justice Narasimha Reddy designated the Ram Navami violence 2023 was pre-planned and orchestrated.

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Police were quoted by The Indian Express to say that five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident. Notably, widespread violence has been reported across West Bengal ahead of the panchayat polls that are to be held the day after tomorrow.

So far, a staggering 16 people have been killed in various incidents of political violence since the announcement of the rural poll schedule on June 8. The panchayat elections  will be held on July 8 with the counting on July 11.

Three days ago, on July 3, the Telegraph reported that one more person was killed and another seriously injured in a crude bomb blast in Bengal in an incident that took place at Shalipur village in Haroa area of North 24 Parganas district late on Sunday night. A second person had been seriously injured in the explosion allegedly during the manufacture of crude bombs in rural polls-bound West Bengal, police said on Monday. The deceased was identified as Paritosh Mondal, an officer of Basirhat police station said, adding nobody has been arrested yet.

“The two injured persons were rushed to the Basirhat sub-divisional hospital where one of them was declared brought dead. We are investigating the blast,” he told PTI over the phone.

Earlier this week, in Cooch Behar’s Gitaldaha, two senior Trinamool Congress leaders were shot dead. Bengal’s ruling party has accused Union Minister of State Nisith Pramanik. Pramanik has, meanwhile, claimed that one of those who died is an “international criminal”

Violence has been reported from several parts of the state ahead of the July 8 panchayat elections, leading to loss of several lives.

In the most recent incident, according to police, a clash broke out between TMC and ISF workers on Tuesday night with both sides allegedly hurling crude bombs at each other. A senior North 24 Parganas police officer said the youth died after a crude bomb exploded near him while another person sustained injuries. “Five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident. We are investigating the matter,” said the officer.

The incident comes hours after the West Bengal Director General of Police Manoj Malviya claimed that the law and order situation in the state was “under control”.  “The law and order in the state is under control… It isn’t right to say that widespread violence is taking place ahead of the (July 8) panchayat polls. Isolated incidents occur even when elections are not held,” the DGP had said on Tuesday.

“Do you think the state’s law-and-order situation has gone out of control? One or two incidents have happened and prompt action was taken against it. We also have got orders from the highest level to take stringent action against any such incident. After the elections, we will provide figures to show whether incidents of violence have increased or decreased,” he had added.

Bengal and poll violence

Elections in Bengal have always seen violence, to the point where the loss of lives has become a constant with every electoral exercise. The populous state in east India has had an unfortunate and long history of fierce political rivalries and party cadres are mobilised often in clashes, even during the three decade plus rule of the CPI-M in the state.

Since the announcement of the Panchayat elections, 11 lives have been claimed in incidents of violence that were allegedly political in nature.

In Birbhum district, a hotbed of violence, independent candidates outnumber political party candidates in quite a few blocks. A local Trinamool Congress leader points out, “In a closely fought election, spoiling one or two votes can change the result. We wanted to understand why they are contesting elections. We found out that all the independent candidates are school teachers. They told us that because they don’t want to become poll workers, they have filed papers. They will neither campaign nor solicit votes.”

The state government meanwhile provided Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the family of those killed and offered government jobs to the next of kin.

Even the 2018 Panchayat election in West Bengal had witnessed a distressing surge in violence, making it one of the bloodiest elections in recent times, incidents like the above do not bode well for this election either. The toll of poll-related violence in 2018 had amounted to 30. Twelve people had died on the day of the election itself.

Meanwhile, Sujan Chakraborty, a member of the CPI(M)’s Central Committee, stated, “We involve the people and provide them assistance. Initially, there is financial aid followed by arrangements to educate their children. However, we don’t have the power to magically produce huge sums of money.”

Before this, on the day of the 2013 panchayat polls in Madhudanga booth of Churulia in Paschim Bhardhaman district. Manowara Bibi, a candidate from the CPI(M), was present inside the booth while her husband, Sheikh Hasmat, waited outside. An armed group, allegedly affiliated with the Trinamool Congress, threw a bomb in an attempt to capture the booth. Hasmat, a well-known political activist, lost his life on the spot. The news of his death led to an enraged mob attacking the Trinamool camp. In the ensuing clash, Rajkumar Koda, the husband of local Trinamool worker Geeta, also lost his life.

Manwara won the election. “The joy of winning was lost with the loss of my husband. However, the party stood by me that day. They collected donations and deposited the money as a fixed deposit, and the interest is being utilised. My son has now grown up. He works in a private firm. I am still associated with the party. The ruling party has put pressure to manage the case, but I won’t back down,” Manwara said.

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Ram Navami was being celebrated across West Bengal on Thursday. Reportedly, processions were held in almost all the districts. However, there was a clash between the two groups during Ram Navami in Howrah. Allegedly, there were attacks targeting a group of people and houses. Several people were injured in this incident. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced strict action against those involved in the clashes. There have been incidents of attacks and vandalism in Maharashtra too. A police car was set on fire there.

In Howrah, eyewitnesses told us that the trouble started from a procession in Shivpur and by noon there was extreme tension in the area and frequent bombings began. Meanwhile, It started raining. Amidst this, shops were vandalised in various places along with some cars. There were reports of arson, as well. A large police force and RAF (Rapid Action Force) were deployed in the area to control the situation. 

Leader of Opposition in the state, Subhendu Adhikari, participated in the Ram Navami procession at Ramrajatala in Howrah. The clash took place at Shibpur, about three and a half kilometres from Ramrajatala.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said on the issue of Howrah, “Those who rioted today, no matter how many cases they file and attack, I will not listen to any excuse. Police are constantly working and they are trying their best to maintain peace and decorum.  I am making it clear, I will take strict action against those responsible for today’s incident, those who allowed them (people from outside) to enter.”

Secretary Surendra Varma said on behalf of the processions, “The procession was happening peacefully. Suddenly some people came from outside and attacked us. Suddenly, bombs were being hurled.”

Meanwhile, processions and rallies were also held in Kolkata. All of them had police security. 

Tension in Vadodara , Gujarat during Ram Navami procession

A Stone pelting incident at Ram Navami procession in Gujarat’s Vadodara sparked tension. According to the police, even though there were disturbances because of this stone pelting incident in Fatepura area, the processions passed through allotted routes. In spite of this, some cars were damaged. But right now, the situation is calm. No one was injured. 

A local leader of the Bajrang Dal under the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh told reporters that even though the procession takes place on this route every year, still the police cannot provide protection to them. However, a police officer told reporters that when the procession passed by a mosque in Fatepura area, local people came out. He denied that this was a communal incident. 

Maharashtra witnesses clashes during rallies 

Clashes erupted over a Ram Navami procession passing through a minority-dominated area in Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, erstwhile Aurangabad. Allegedly, tension around the Ram Navami procession started from Wednesday night. Loud music was being played on the microphone next to a mosque.

Reportedly, in Kiradpura, when the procession was moving on Thursday, while playing loud music, two groups of youths started fighting. Abusive and provocative slogans were raised and then the stone pelting started. Many cars were vandalised. A police car was also set on fire. After about an hour of violence, the police fired tear gas and brought the situation under control.

Sanjay Raut, leader of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, said, “We were rightfully afraid that there would be riots. It seems like the Department of Home Affairs doesn’t exist in Maharashtra anymore.”

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