Bengal BJP MP alleges ‘attack’ on Hindus, seeks Governor’s intervention

Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, the BJP MP from Purulia, West Bengal, on Tuesday called for the governor’s intervention to “protect” Hindus in the state from alleged threats and attacks.

In a letter to Governor CV Anana Bose, Mahato said that many Hindu festivals, including Durga Puja and Kali Puja, had come under “attack”.

“There are frequent reports of disruption, stone-throwing and physical violence against devotees during these celebrations, which are not just festivals but a deeply cherished part of Bengali Hindu identity,” Mahato said.

“This year alone, numerous attacks have been reported during Durga Puja and Kali Puja immersion across the state. In a recent incident in Kolkata’s Rajabazar area, participants in the Kali Puja immersion procession were reportedly assaulted and the police later treated the matter as an assault. “The ‘parking dispute’ further raises concerns of negligence and bias on the part of the authorities,” Mahato added in his letter.

In his letter, Mahto also compared the current situation in West Bengal with the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the 1990s.

Notably, many Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their homeland in Jammu and Kashmir due to targeted attacks and violence against them.

“Social media is full of posts and messages spreading anti-Hindu sentiments, with alarming calls to replicate the violence against Hindus witnessed in Bangladesh. Posts on WhatsApp and other platforms boast of “achievements” in Bangladesh, with some users chillingly commenting “The alarming silence of the Bengal administration on these issues reflects either willful ignorance or deliberate support for such divisive narratives,” wrote the BJP MP.

In his letter, the Purulia MP also asked the governor to intervene to ensure that Hindu festivals and religious ceremonies are treated fairly and lawfully, free from discriminatory restrictions or interference.