Fierce communal clashes going on in Farakka

Fierce communal clashes going on in Farakka

Fierce communal clashes going on in Farakka area of Murshidabad district. This is an area of international importance as the giant Farakka Barrage is situated there which is the life line for both West Bengal and Bangladesh. The water for both of Bangladesh and Kolkata is flown from this Barrage.

Started on 30^th May for a petty matter, the Hindu Muslim dispute took violent turn. The clashes quickly spread over vast area of Farakka block involving about 15 villages.

Many Hindu villages have been looted, destroyed and burnt by the fundamentalist Muslims. Those villages are: Jafarganj, Kutighat, Imamnagar, Nayansukh, Kashinagar, Raghunathpur, Choukigram, Beniagram and Kedua.

The Hindus of these villages fled the area and have taken shelter in relatively safe Hindu areas. In spite of that, the govt. administration has been compelled to start 2 temporary “refugee camps” for the distressed Hindus, one in nearby NTPC township ‘Nubarun’ and the other in the Bhangatola village on the Malda side of the Barrage. About 2000 Hindus have taken shelter is these camps.

Many Hindus and some Muslims have been seriously injured in the clashes. More than 60 persons, both Hindus and Muslims are arrested by the police. Prohibitory section 144 has been imposed in the area to contain the situation. Large contingent of Police and RAF (Rapid Action Force) has been deployed.

Apart from these villages, there are small hamlets on the bank of river Ganga in the downstream of Farakka barrage. From these hamlets, Hindus fled to the other side of the river in Malda district.

In these villages, torture upon Hindus and molestation of Hindu women by the Muslims are regular features. The Yadav community (popularly known as Ghosh community) and the Halder community (they are refugees from East Bengal, i.e., Bangladesh) got united and fighting hard to resist Muslim onslaught. Yesterday morning, the Halders resisted the looter Muslims and saved the Hindu shopkeepers of New Farakka market.

The Farakka barrage is the only connecting bridge between south Bengal and north Bengal and Assam. According to 2001 census, in Farakka block, Hindus are 36.65 % and Muslims are 62.76%. In the neighbouring Samsherganj block, Hindu 18.69% and Muslim 81.22%. In the whole of Murshidabad district, Hindu 35.92% and Muslim 63.67%. In Farakka area, MLA is Mainul Haque (Congress) and M.P. is Abul Hasnat Chowdhury (Congress). Both are Muslims. Mr. Parvez Siddiqui, the District Magistrate of this border district too is a Muslim.

The situation in the entire area of Farakka is still tense and not under control.