Allegations of Rising Violence Against Hindus in West Bengal by BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari

In a recent statement, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and a prominent BJP MLA, raised serious concerns about the safety of Hindus in the state. He claimed that there have been alarming incidents reminiscent of violence in Bangladesh, particularly highlighting an attack in Uttar Dinajpur district where a group of assailants reportedly targeted and looted Hindu families without any provocation. Adhikari described the brutality of the attack in which even elderly women and children were harmed, indicating that the violence was so severe that a pregnant woman was attacked and a man's injury was grave enough to split his head open, with video evidence reportedly circulating online.

Adhikari further accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of exploiting communal tensions for political gain, suggesting that Hindus are increasingly becoming victims of her electoral strategies. He called on the state's Director General of Police to ensure that such attacks will not happen again and urged both the National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Women to investigate the situation in the village where the violence occurred.

Prior to this incident, Adhikari had criticized the West Bengal government for obstructing necessary actions related to border security, particularly in areas where the Border Security Force (BSF) seeks to establish outposts along the Bangladesh border. He emphasized a perceived lack of cooperation from the state government with central authorities, which hinders land acquisition efforts for these security measures. Adhikari expressed that this non-cooperation is detrimental to national security, as the region has a lengthy border that remains inadequately fenced.

Adhikari detailed the status of border fencing in West Bengal, noting that significant stretches of the border remain unfenced and that multiple land acquisition cases related to border protection are currently pending due to bureaucratic delays. He alleged that state police have not taken adequate action against cross-border criminals and have instead provided shelter to certain individuals linked to illegal activities. He criticized the state authorities for failing to assist the BSF effectively in dealing with trans-border crimes, highlighting issues such as drug trafficking and cattle smuggling.

He pointed out ongoing bureaucratic inefficiencies that prevent timely responses to criminal activities across the border, including difficulties faced by BSF officials in lodging police reports. Southeast Asian tensions have intensified concerns regarding infiltration from Bangladesh, and while local police are reportedly aware of loopholes in the system, Adhikari emphasized the need for a stronger institutional response to tackle growing security challenges effectively.