Are Attacks on Hindus in Bengal Continuing Even During the Festive Season?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The festive season in West Bengal is marred by attacks on Hindus.
- Amit Malviya highlights incidents of idol vandalism as alarming.
- The trend of violence against Hindus has been ongoing throughout the year.
- Police inaction is a significant concern raised by Malviya.
- Upcoming festivals are crucial times for community celebration.
Kolkata, Oct 4 (NationPress) The head of BJP’s Information Technology Cell and the party's central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, asserted on Saturday that there has been no reprieve from the occurrences of violence against Hindus in West Bengal, even as the festive season commenced with the start of Durga Puja earlier this week.
He highlighted a distressing incident involving the vandalism of Goddess Laxmi and Goddess Kali idols in Tamluk, located in the East Midnapore district, claiming that such acts are particularly alarming just before Kojagari Lakshmi Purnima on October 6 and Kali Puja on October 20.
Malviya noted that the pattern of assaults on Hindus and Hindu culture, which began earlier this year in the minority-heavy districts of Malda and Murshidabad, has persisted into the festive period, with the recent vandalism in Tamluk serving as the latest incident.
“From Malda and Murshidabad to Maheshtala—and now during this year’s Durga Puja, leading up to both Kali Puja and Lakshmi Puja—the attacks on Hindus in West Bengal show no signs of abating,” Malviya stated on Saturday.
He remarked that the vandalism of Hindu deities in West Bengal mirrors similar incidents occurring in neighboring Bangladesh.
“What was once seen in Bangladesh, where Namaz schedules were posted inside Durga Puja pandals, is now evident in Murshidabad. As has been the case in prior years, even at the commencement of the festivities, numerous Durga and Kali temples faced attacks. Now, in Tamluk, just ahead of Kojagari Lakshmi Purnima and Kali Puja, idols of Maa Lakshmi and Maa Kali were brutally vandalized—their heads severed and cast to the ground,” Malviya elaborated.
He also criticized the East Midnapore district police for their alleged inaction against those responsible for the vandalism in Tamluk.
“Once again, the police have failed to take action against the perpetrators. Instead, under Mamata Banerjee’s governance, the police appear to be focused on targeting individuals who dare to speak out and highlight these attacks,” Malviya concluded.