Communal carnage in Murshidabad: Victim-blaming reaches new heights as incumbent TMC, leftist Indian media blame Hindus and shield Islamists

As communal violence ravaged Murshidabad, the All India Trinamool Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (AITC or TMC) prioritized downplaying the situation, indulging in blame game, even accusing Hindus from other states and belittling the sufferings of the victims. Likewise, the Islamists and their liberal mouthpieces, including The Wire and Newslaundry, attempted to sanitize the anti-Hindu riots, framing them as a response to the apprehensions surrounding the Waqf Amendment Act. They blamed the mainstream media for inflating an otherwise “normal situation” and questioned the legitimacy of the Hindu minority’s plight in Murshidabad. Arfa Khanum Sherwani of “The Wire” acknowledged that her religious brethren were responsible for the burning of Murshidabad, and even the authorities were not spared, but added that the videos coming from the region are not necessarily authentic or current. She stated that they are only being circulated “to exaggerate the incidents,” as if the turmoil, testimonies of the victims and the reports coming from the area are not sufficient to disturb the conscience of any ordinary individual. As expected, she also reiterated the dubious narrative that the amendment of the Waqf law was an attempt to discriminate against Muslims. She claimed, “Opposition leaders, Muslim organisations and those who believe in democracy, liberalism and equality have been worried that attempts are being made to provoke Muslims through the law and now Muslims have reacted. This is a conspiracy that needs to be understood.” What she essentially means is that if the second-largest majority in the country disapproves of a law, they might respond with a tantrum, which would be characterised as a provocation and seen as a conspiracy against them. The reality, however, is that the only conspiracy in this situation had been against the Hindu community, as they were blamed for the passage of the act. She, ironically, insisted that the opposition and Muslim leaders are troubled by the unrest, while the fact is that these same individuals have been instrumental in inciting their voters to protest against the law through their deceitful rhetoric and propaganda. Arfa soon switched to disparage the saffron party and accused, “This seems to be a deliberate plan, very similar to what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have intended as a byproduct of the law. The situation has unfolded exactly as they might have wanted. This law has become a tool in the BJP’s hands, just ahead of the 2026 elections in West Bengal, which are just a year away.” Her remark seemed to imply as if the BJP had asked the Islamists to riot, or was it an admission that these radicals tend to resort to unrest under the guise of protest whenever they are in disagreement, and hence the party should have taken this into account. Additionally, the legislation applies not just to West Bengal but to the entire nation, rendering the argument regarding elections both unreasonable and unfounded. It is also crucial to note that in India, elections occur at different times in various states each year. Should this mean that the centre has to consider the schedule of the polls to avoid making decisions for fear of criticism or backlash? Is this how governments run and nations are managed? Absurd comparisons, twisting the truth “Just two months ago, surveys showed that Mamata Banerjee’s support base had not diminished, despite 15 years of anti-incumbency. In fact, the BJP was up by only 1%. This means there is still strong support for Mamata Banerjee,” Arfa claimed while accusing the BJP of exploiting the situation. Her concerns appeared to be more focused on the state elections and the detrimental effects of the violence on Mamata Banerjee’s prospects for victory over the issues faced by the Hindu victims. She subsequently drew ludicrous parallels with the Karni Sena and even referred to the Shaheen Bagh agitation, which played a significant role in the anti-Hindu riots in Delhi and the farmers’ protests, which were marred with multiple violent incidents including the attack on the Red Fort and police personnel on Republic Day, as peaceful demonstrations. She then completely dismissed that the Hindu community was being targeted, asserting that they are the majority in the state. “BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari claims that this is religious persecution and an attack on Hindus. Such twisting of facts is concerning. Yes, one-third of West Bengal’s population is Muslim, but two-thirds are not. Still, a narrative is being spun that Hindus are under attack,” Arfa shamelessly declared. “West Bengal is a state with a large Muslim population, the second highest in India. Every third person here is Muslim,” she had stated earlier. If the horrifying events that took place in Murshidabad do not qualify as religious persecution, then what does? The area is predominantly Muslim, and the minority faced attacks solely due to their religious beliefs. While the Muslims remained unaffected, the Hindus were forced to leave only to protect their lives. She highlighted the inflammatory remarks made by West Bengal Minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury and then expressed admiration for Mamata Banerjee. “She is a strong, resilient leader, a street fighter who has never learned to bow down or accept defeat. She has a massive following, tight administrative control, and is a self-made politician, not born of dynastic privilege. Her contribution to women’s empowerment in Bengal is remarkable,” she lauded the TMC chief. Significantly, women in Murshidabad have endured molestation and threats of rape from Muslim mobs. Is this how Hindu women are being empowered in West Bengal? The shortcomings of Mamata Banerjee’s administration and governance have been repeatedly laid bare, especially now in the riot-affected area. The truth is that the might and authority of Mamata Banerjee, as well as that of the opposition, appear to be reduced to mere ashes in the face of vote bank politics. Blame news channels, no Hindu persecution On 15th April, Newslaundry published a piece titled, “Bhaijaan ka plan, Kashmiri Pandits, Israel protest: TV spin to Murshidabad violence” attacking the news channels for reporting on the miserable condition of Hindus in Murshidabad in the wake of Islamist violence. “If mainstream news channels are to be believed, the eastern West Bengal district is a hub of ‘terrorism’ where a ‘Hindu exodus’ is underway as government authorities look the other way,” the article mocked. It further alleged, “There have been reports of hundreds fleeing their homes to escape the violence. But no substantiated evidence has emerged so far confirming systematic targeting based on religious identity at such a scale. The narrative of Hindus being specifically victimised has primarily originated from Hindutva-affiliated sources and political actors, especially the BJP camp.” One cannot realistically expect this media outlet to be forthright, particularly if it might displease its primary audience. Nevertheless, it is rather audacious of them to deceive their readers and consider them as gullible enough to believe whatever narrative is being promoted by the platform. A multitude of videos have appeared online illustrating the persecution of Hindus in Murshidabad, leading to their forced exodus. Their residences have been set ablaze, robbed and defaced. Hindu women have been molested and received rape threats. They have been pressured to have sexual relations with their tormentors to ensure the safety of the men in their households. Several women have escaped with their newborns to avoid the violence. The drinking water supply in Hindu homes had been poisoned. Hindus have been assaulted, looted and threatened with death by the Muslim assailants, including minors. The situation bears a disturbing resemblance to that in Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, for Newslaundry, it appears that even a Taliban-style execution of Hindus would not be sufficient to convey the community’s anguish. Similar to The Wire, Newslaundry is also committed to present distortion and disinformation in the name of facts. They understand that the attacks are directed solely at Hindus due to their religious identity. Yet, they are resolutely focused on minimizing the severe targeting of Hindus. The article added, “While the West Bengal government and the state police are yet to make any official statements about claims of Hindus being forced to ‘flee’ Murshidabad, the Calcutta High Court has asked the state and the central government to submit detailed reports on the situation.” What government would genuinely be honest and inform that the situation is profoundly dire in the state it governs, specifically, a party like TMC that relies heavily on the Muslim community as its main voter base. However, if everything were indeed satisfactory, why would the Calcutta High Court step in? What is the reason for the presence of central forces in West Bengal? Are the accounts from victims and the reports from the state somehow contrived? Are Hindus orchestrating attacks against themselves to frame Islamists? Newslaundry further complained that the “news channels have thrown all (Press Council of India) regulations out the window and made unsubstantiated claims about Hindus becoming ‘refugees in their own country.’ Some invoked the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, some claimed a terrorist link to the violence, while some alleged a Bangladesh connection.” While it may not be suitable to make hasty assumptions, if a community is compelled to abandon its home due to violence from another group, what term could be used to describe it if not refugees? Were Kashmiri Pandits not also driven from their homes due to Islamic terrorism? However, this cabal even denies their sufferings and derides movies like “The Kashmir Files,” which bravely represented the same on the big screen. It is a known fact that Murshidabad shares a border with Bangladesh. The unlawful influx from the country into India is also a well-documented reality. Bangladeshi extremists, with the support of local political party leaders, reportedly played a role in the recent unrest in Murshidabad. According to sources citing an intelligence report, the violence in Murshidabad was carried out by members of two extremist groups located in Bangladesh: Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The violence was perpetrated by Bangladeshis who were assisted by local political party leaders. The situation is being constantly monitored by the Union Home Ministry. Accuse the BJP, Hindus and deflect blame One of the favoured figures among extremist Muslims, Rana Ayyub, shared a tweet by Sagarika Ghose, TMC Rajya Sabha member, which allegedly referenced a man’s claim that non-local teenagers were assaulting the Hindus, while local Hindu and Muslim youths were defending the temple. The temple human chain trope has been extensively employed by this tribe, resulting in a complete loss of its originality and impact. Furthermore, the two purported journalists aimed to shift the blame from the Islamists to external parties, thereby undermining the hardships faced by the Hindu community. The propaganda piece published by Newslaundry was also shared by radical Mohammed Zubair, who is associated with Alt News, notorious for catering to the Muslim fanatics in the name of fact checks. Each of them has been intent on aiding the culprits by manipulating the facts in their favour. The values of truth, justice and human rights, which they profess to uphold, are nowhere to be found as they do not fit their agenda. These lofty terms, anyway, are tools to further their propaganda and serve no other purpose for them. Saba Naqvi asserted that the violent protests against the Waqf Act only serve to benefit the very forces responsible for enacting the legislation. Nonetheless, she failed to explain how because those behind the riots do not support or vote for the BJP. They are, in fact, supporters of “secular” parties like the TMC, which accounts for the seemingly submissive behaviour of opposition leaders towards them and their efforts to perpetually pander to them. She invoked Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the idea of peaceful protests, knowing well that the Muslim fanatics are unconcerned with either. These statements are crafted merely to trick the unsuspecting. I wish to qualify this tweet. Violent aggressive protest is counterproductive. Engagement with law, legal channels, conversations, Gandhian style protest and not positing it as a Muslim alone issue but a constitutional and federal matter involving all Indians would be prudent. https://t.co/GCjuWgy0nE— Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) April 14, 2025 Ravish Kumar, another spokesperson for this infamous ecosystem and alleged journalist, quickly came to the defense of the rioters, asserting that the reports emerging from the state are inflated and unreliable. He argued that the accounts of violence in West Bengal should not be accepted without scrutiny. He maintained that many of these reports are propagated by what he refers to as “Godi media,” a pejorative term for news outlets that do not share his twisted ideology. Conclusion The Islamo-Leftist nexus is predictably engaged in negating the violent attacks on Hindus, claiming that they are not specifically aimed at the community. However, if this is true, it begs the question of why there have been no complaints from the Muslim community and why it is primarily Hindus who are fleeing their homes. Why have only Hindus experienced hardship while the other community remains largely unscathed by these brutal circumstances? The truth is that propaganda, no matter how powerful, cannot overshadow the reality that Hindus have been targeted not only in Murshidabad but also in other regions due to their faith. The Waqf Act serves merely as a pretext for those who perpetrate violence against Hindus, as they are aware that parties like the TMC cannot risk offending them, given their reliance on their votes. Furthermore, their advocates in the media will readily defend them, regardless of their actions. This has been tried and tested over decades and is once again evident in Murshidabad. Just as TMC did, these people also strive to misrepresent the truth and attribute blame to all but the actual culprits.