Centre on high alert, monitoring states after Murshidabad violence over Waqf Act | India News

NEW DELHI : While the situation in Murshidabad, West Bengal — where communal violence broke out recently over the recently-enacted amendments to the Waqf law — is now under control, the Centre is alert to the possibility of similar communal reactions in other parts of the country.
Sources in the Central govt told TOI that there have been no reports of any communal situation from other states or Union territories as yet, in the wake of notification of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. However, the Union home ministry is taking no chances and is keeping a close watch on the situation elsewhere in Bengal as well as in other states/UTs where anti-Waqf law protests have been reported. The purpose is to identify any communal triggers and engage with the state govt concerned to make sure that they are nipped in the bud. Central forces will be offered to the states without delay, if sought, to prevent such communal outbreaks.
A senior govt functionary here said that even in Murshidabad, with the West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar having visited the violence-hit areas and adequate Central forces having been deployed on directions of the court, the communal clashes were curbed. “There has been no fresh violence,” said the functionary.
On Saturday, in view of the communal clashes in Murshidabad, Union home secretary Govind Mohan had held a video conference with the West Bengal chief secretary and DGP to assess the situation and outline steps to control it. The DGP, while briefing the home secretary, said that the situation was tense but under control, and that assistance of the BSF personnel deployed locally, was being taken. Over 150 persons were arrested on Saturday for allegedly engaging in communal violence.
Besides the nearly 300 BSF personnel locally available in Murshidabad, an additional five companies were rushed there at the request of the state government.
The Union home secretary had on Saturday also advised the West Bengal administration to keep a close watch on other sensitive districts, and put in place adequate steps to prevent further escalation in violence and restore normalcy at the earliest.