'Had Intelligence Input of Disturbance By Minority Community But...': Himanta Sarma on How Assam Maintained Peace

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that they had strong intelligence on Friday indicating that the state might witness disturbances due to protests by the minority community. He informed that, in anticipation of protests possibly over the Waqf Amendment Act, the police worked extensively and expressed his gratitude to the minority community for their cooperation.

In a statement, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Yesterday was Friday, and we had strong intelligence that Assam was going to witness some kind of disturbance as a result of protests by the minority community. We received this input five days ago. Assam Police worked diligently and approached every single leader of the minority community. Our SPs engaged with various Masjid communities and other key figures from the minority community.”

He added, “Assam Police worked extensively over the last five days. Yesterday was a day of immense satisfaction as Assam did not witness any significant protests. We only saw demonstrations in three places, with around 150 people at each venue. This is the result of extensive outreach by the Assam Police. I’d like to offer my gratitude to the minority community. Maintaining law and order is the primary responsibility of the state, and we will continue to ensure peace in Assam in the coming days.”

Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remarks came after neighbouring West Bengal witnessed widespread protests, which escalated on Friday, particularly in the Murshidabad region. Large-scale violence was reported in Murshidabad, where agitators turned violent and torched several vehicles. The protests in Bengal have so far claimed the lives of three people.

Calcutta High Court Directs Deployment of Central Forces in Murshidabad

Earlier today, the Calcutta High Court directed the deployment of central forces in West Bengal’s Murshidabad while hearing an urgent PIL filed by BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari.

Criticising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee , BJP leader and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar accused the TMC -led government of fostering a culture of violence in Bengal. He alleged that TMC Minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury was behind the Waqf violence conspiracy.

“The situation is dire. The special bench of the High Court has delivered its verdict, and we welcome it. The current state of affairs is a result of Mamata Banerjee’s incompetence. Today’s High Court verdict is a significant reprimand for Mamata Banerjee, highlighting her inability to govern the state. The police, under her control, allow free rein to certain groups, enabling them to loot, misbehave with women, and vandalize Hindu homes. The police remain idle. There was an attack on the police, and vehicles were set ablaze. Mamata Banerjee has handed over West Bengal to extremists for vote-bank politics. If she remains in power, incidents like the Great Calcutta Killings could recur,” Majumdar said.

MHA acts after violence in Murshidabad

In light of the situation in Murshidabad, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan held a video conference with the Chief Secretary and DGP of West Bengal.

The DGP reported that the situation was tense but under control and was being closely monitored. He stated assistance was being taken from the BSF posted locally and informed that over 150 individuals had been arrested.

The Union Home Secretary added that, in addition to nearly 300 Border Security Force personnel already stationed in Murshidabad, five additional companies had been deployed at the request of the state government.