In April 2025, protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in West Bengal escalated into violence, resulting in significant loss of life and property.
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00:00On 12 April 2025, Murshidabad and Malda districts in West Bengal were gripped by turmoil.
00:05Protests against the controversial Waqf Amendment Act escalated into violent clashes.
00:12Shops were burned, homes destroyed and lives tragically lost.
00:16While the violence of 2025 stemmed from specific grievances,
00:19it served as a reminder of the recurring unrest that has periodically disrupted the region.
00:24Let's explore the incidents that left lasting scars on this land.
00:28In 2013, violence erupted in canning South 24 Paragnas following the murder of a Muslim cleric.
00:34What began as retaliation spiralled into a full-blown riot, with homes and shops burned to the ground.
00:40Thousands were forced to seek shelter in relief camps.
00:43The Kalachak violence in 2016 exposed deep-seated grievances.
00:47Protests over comments by Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasaba leader Kamlesh Tiwari
00:52turned into an attack on police stations and public property.
00:56In 2016 again, in Dhulagar, an altercation during a religious procession led to rioters
01:01attacking and looting shops and houses.
01:04Several properties were set on fire, deepening the communal rift in the area.
01:08In 2018, the mining towns of Asansoul and Rani Gunj became flashpoints during Ram Nagami celebrations.
01:15Clashes left several dead and many injured, with widespread property damage.
01:19By the 2020s, communal violence was deeply intertwined with political rivalries.
01:24Electoral battles often became battlefields for religious and social discord.
01:29Following the 2021 state elections, violence erupted across Bengal, leading to arson,
01:35looting and tragic loss of life. Over 1 lakh people were displaced,
01:39many alleging targeted attacks along communal lines.
01:42Birbham's Rampurath witnessed one of the most chilling acts of violence in 2022.
01:47After the murder of Thrinamul Deputy Chief Bhadu Sheikh,
01:50retaliatory arson attacks claimed eight lives.
01:53The incident shocked the nation and drew criticism over delayed action.
01:58In 2023, Ram Nagami processions once again became flashpoints.
02:02Clashes in Haura and Hooghly led to property destruction and curfews,
02:06underscoring the fragile communal balance.
02:08The 2025 protests against the Wakf Amendment Act in Muschidabad escalated into violence,
02:14resulting in three deaths and over 200 arrests.
02:18The unrest prompted the Calcutta High Court to deploy central forces to restore order.
02:23The incidents of communal violence in West Bengal
02:26highlight the ongoing challenges of maintaining peace in a diverse society.