Bangladeshi Muslims torturing Hindus in Farakka, Murshidabad

Hindus living in Farakka within the district of Murshidabad are being tortured by Bangladeshi Muslims more and more. The news is enough to shock all and pick governments, both at the centre and state, but this is a cruel reality. As per locals including Muslims, the entire area is vulnerable to illegal infiltration of Islamists from Bangladesh and its surge in recent years, while the administration remains a mute spectator at the behest of “secular” political parties hankering loyal minority vote bank, has made the entire region unstable and also highly dangerous for bonafide Indians.

The horror got apparent on May 4 when Bangladeshi Muslims unleashed a ferocious attack on a Hindu family living in the village of Hazarpur. According to sources, the gruesome incident took place in the evening at the ancient crematorium of Arjunpur where they went to cremate deceased Biren Pal.  Once Mukhagni (holy fire put into the mouth of a Hindu corpse at the time of lighting the funeral pile) was done, a large gang criminals from the adjoining slum including Bhodu Sheikh, Rafiqul Sheikh, Amin Sheikh and Habil Sheikh attacked the grieving Hindus with lethal weapons and full might. The abrupt attack proved to be decisive for Hindus who had to flee leaving the half-burnt corpse behind. Keshta Pal, Bikash Pal got injured heavily but when they returned after almost 30 minutes, neither the corpse nor any ashes were found. Even if Rakhi Pal, wife of deceased Biren Pal, has filed an official complaint to the local police station of farakka, no approach to nab culprits has been found yet.

The abovementioned incident was not isolated or part of any vengeance. And this is found best from another dreadful event on May 6. Islamists, as regards another cremation in the same ancient crematorium of Arjunpur, ransacked Hindu shops leading to chaos and also collapse of law and order in the area.  On the word of eyewitnesses, bands of Muslim youths ransacked the Ghosh Mistanna Bhandar (sweetmeat shop of a Bengali Hindu individual) adjoining the Farakka Railway Station. This was followed by the attack of Islamists on the second shop of Gunadhar Ghosh, owner of Ghosh Mistanna Bhandar, located in the market of Arjunpur. The two incidents of Hindu persecution has worried Hindus in the vicinity highly.  

Is there any precise way to solve the crisis? As said by locals, it depends on willpower and courage of political leaders counting on these Islamists as their loyal minority vote banks. They also say that Murshidabad is steadily turning into a breeding ground of radical Muslim politics making it highly difficult for Hindus to live here. A few slums containing Bangladeshi Muslims have come forth around the crematorium of Arjunpur and now, they are attempting to grab the same land by terrorizing Hindus.  The tacit support of local administration and political parties give a boost to their strength and this leads to more oppressions on Hindus. Should Hindus abandon this area also? Lots of Hindus have been found to steer clear of such a decision and prefer to fight back.

 Hindu Samhati regularly monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. We also work with both governmental and NGO agencies for proper education on protection and ensure remedies to the Hindu populace as per prevailing law of the land.