No end to anguishes on Hindus in Bengal

Let the whole country get elated over the ascension of a nationalist government pledging to better India in each capacity. But Bengal can’t be a part to this festivity as it continues to stagger under the grip of terror unleashed by various political cliques while the administration remains a mute spectator to the burgeoning tragedy. As reported earlier, the victim of Trinamool Congress’ wrath has been Hindus and its best evidence was found in the village of Golbunia within Sandeshkhali police station’s jurisdiction, sub-division of Basirhat in the district of North 24 Paraganas when on May 13, Islamist army of Trinamool Congress led by Shoaib Khan and Karim Sheikh and instructed by Shajahan Sheikh, pounced down on their Hindu preys as they had voted for BJP en masse. The whole village was ransacked in a short time while almost a score of Hindus got injured heavily. Molestations of Hindu women knew no bounds. The victims did not get any assistance from any organ of the government, be it police or health center, and now the terror is such that they can’t live there anymore. On May 18, villagers were attacked again for moving to the police station to lodge an FIR against perpetrators on May 13. There is no option to them, as a result, other than to take flight to an unknown destination.      

And this spate of violent attacks is spreading far and wide. Scheduled Caste Hindus living in the villages of Banogram and Nakurait within the Bhangar police station’s jurisdiction in the district of South 24 Paraganas underwent the same fate on May 19. Even if a large number of residences were pillaged and Hindus were injured by lethal weapons of Islamists, police is yet to reach the village to take stock of the situation. Many may advise the hapless Hindus to seek help from the highest echelon of the Bengal administration.  But the same administration counts on diktats of a political leadership which remains disinclined to Hindus.

The recurrent onslaughts from other side of the India-Bangladesh border can’t be excluded as well. On May 16, 2014, at night, Nirmal Ghosh, a person working in the Railway Police Force, was killed mercilessly at his own home in the village of Angrail within Gaighata police station’s jurisdiction near Bangaon in the North 24 Paraganas district.  According to villagers, he was killed by a team of cow smugglers hailing from Bangladesh. While Nirmal was grabbed by the smugglers, his elder brother or Paran Ghosh tried best to save him. But smugglers stabbed him also with choppers ferociously and hence, Paran failed to save his brother. Even if Paran Ghosh managed to save his life, he is admitted to the Bangaon hospital and is in a critical condition.  This is no new development for Hindus living in areas alongside the international India-Bangladesh border. If truth be told, Hindus here remain helpless and since BSF soldiers are found to leave them in the lurch owing to political compulsions, they are more insecure these days than ever before.  Hindus have to beef up their own security measures and how futile are those can be found from their recurrent persecutions by Muslim cow smugglers from Bangladesh.

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.