Malda/Kolkata: In a significant development under the assurance of the district administration, all the 215 individuals, including women, children and the elderly, returned to their home village from the relief camp at Parlalpur High School, under Baishnabnagar Police Station in Malda and the facility has been shut down. These families had taken shelter there after fleeing violent clashes in Dhulian, Murshidabad nine days ago.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, a delegation of TMC leaders, led by the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam and Jangipur MP Khalilur Rehman, visited the violence-affected areas and met the family of Hargobind Das and Chandan Das, the father and son duo who were killed in the violence. “The administration will take all the measures to ensure safety and security. We hope that such incidents will not occur in future,” Islam said.
Most of the returnees from the Malda relief camp are residents of Bedbona and nearby villages in Shamsherganj, Murshidabad. However, despite administrative assurances of safety, many are still apprehensive and are traumatised by the violence they witnessed.
“We are returning to our own village amidst uncertainties. We don’t know about the future though the administration has assured us of safety,” said an elderly woman of Majhipara in Shamsherganj.
“We have no house to return to. If necessary, we’ll stay under a tree or go to a relative’s house. My toto was torched to ashes and don’t have means to earn now. The future of my family is uncertain,” said Sukhtan Mandal of Bedbona.
However, in addition to transportation, the Malda and Murshidabad district authorities have provided them with essential supplies to help them resettle in their native villages. The authorities have jointly facilitated the return of these displaced people. They have been ferried across the Ganga River in special boats arranged by the government.
Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate Malda, said: “All the displaced persons went back willingly. We have arranged enough buses, ambulances and boats for their smooth return. Security arrangements have also been made sufficiently.”
The refugee camp at Parlalpur High School had provided shelter to many affected by the Dhulian violence. Over the past week, several teams, including representatives from various political parties, the Human Rights Commission and the Women’s Commission and the Governor of West Bengal, visited the camp to listen to the victims and take stock of the situation.
After the violence erupted, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the deceased and instructed the Chief Secretary to initiate a formal inquiry into the BSF’s actions, including the alleged opening fire during the violence.
While inaugurating the Kalighat Skywalk, Banerjee had said: “Live in peace. The land of Bengal is the land of peace. Its soil is as pure as gold.”
“Everybody has the democratic right to stage a peaceful protest with permission. I will request people not to take the law into their own hands. To protect the law, we have custodians and do not need any demon,” Banerjee had said.
“I request that none visits Murshidabad at this moment apart from locals. Peace is slowly returning there and the need of the hour is to boost confidence-building measures. The state administration is also doing the same...” she had said while also urging Governor CV Ananda Bose, as well as other political functionaries, not to visit Murshidabad, saying it could hamper peace and the state government’s efforts of confidence-building in the affected areas.
The administration has promised continued support and safety. The administration hopes that with consistent support, normalcy will soon return to the lives of these affected families and they will be able to rebuild what they lost during the violence.
Meanwhile, the Malda Congress filed a complaint against BJP leaders for inflammatory speeches. MP South Malda, Isha Khan Chowdhury condemned both BJP and TMC for exploiting religion in politics and demanded a Central probe into Waqf Act related violence, pledging justice for victims and communal harmony.