‘We don’t want riots’: Mamata to visit Murshidabad in May 1st week

Kolkata: Following the violence that took place in relation to the protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she will visit Murshidabad in the first week of May.

“After the inauguration of the Jagannath temple in Digha, I will visit Murshidabad early in May. The state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the deceased who died in the unrest and will also bear the educational expenses of the children of those families. Those whose houses were damaged will get new residences under the Banglar Bari scheme. We are doing a survey of the damaged shops. The shopkeepers concerned will be duly compensated,” Banerjee said at a public distribution programme at Midnapore College & Collegiate School Ground on Tuesday. She said two wards witnessed riots and it was unfortunate that three persons died. “We do not want any riots but what happened in Dhulian saw the involvement of outsiders who, along with some people, conspired. It will be unearthed by us,” she added.

Murshidabad’s district administration‘s preliminary survey has found 109-odd houses damaged in the recent unrest. Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose recently visited Murshidabad, ignoring Banerjee’s request not to go. He met with the families of the victims on Saturday. He said the victims seek a “sense of security” and promised to raise their concerns with both Central and state governments.

Banerjee’s Murshidabad visit was just a matter of time which became evident when on Thursday she had said: “Peace has largely returned and the administration is currently focused on confidence-building measures. Hence, I feel that apart from locals, nobody should go to Murshidabad as of now. I could have gone but I chose not to in view of the current situation. I’ll visit at the right time.”