New Delhi, Jan 19 (NationPress) The occurrence of mob violence and arson following communal incidents has become a recurring theme in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Recent protests in Beldanga erupted over the death of a migrant worker in Jharkhand, spilling into the weekend.

Notably, former Trinamool MLA Humayun Kabir has proposed a replica of the Babri Masjid for Beldanga, which was heavily fortified on December 6 last year during the laying of its foundation stone.

Riot police and central forces were deployed to monitor the situation, even as images showed individuals carrying bricks to the site. While the construction of a mosque by Humayun Kabir is not the main issue, the choice of the name Babar and the timing of the foundation ceremony, coinciding with the anniversary of the demolition of Ayodhya's disputed structure, is significant.

The district has a Muslim population close to 70 percent, making it a volatile area. In 2019, following the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on December 13, violence erupted, with a mob attacking the Beldanga railway station the following day, damaging various infrastructure.

In April of last year, unrest spread across several towns in Murshidabad due to protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The protests resulted in significant property damage, including homes being set ablaze, leading to the displacement of many Hindu families.

The Waqf protests resulted in multiple fatalities, internet shutdowns, and extensive damage to Hindu properties, prompting the deployment of central forces following court orders. These events heightened communal tensions in adjacent towns, further exacerbating the situation in Beldanga.

The violent protests have established a longstanding divide in West Bengal politics, where mass mobilizations and identity politics have been exploited for electoral advantage.

Opposition parties in West Bengal, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accuse the administration of tacitly supporting arsonists. They also claim there is a deliberate approach to allow illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, affecting local demographics. Even during their rule from 1977 to 2011, the Left Front allegedly targeted welfare policies to secure minority support, a narrative that resurfaces in current debates about appeasement versus social justice.

Critics of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress accuse the party of engaging in electoral manipulation through welfare initiatives aimed at consolidating minority support. The recent turmoil in Beldanga involved roadblocks, stone-pelting, attacks on journalists, and approximately 30 arrests as police and Rapid Action Force conducted marches to restore order.

The railway station became a target once more, and reports indicated police inaction.

Litigation has been filed in courts seeking the deployment of central forces amid fears of escalating violence. Shops were shuttered, and police patrols intensified while local leaders and opposition figures called for intervention from the governor or central authorities.

Murshidabad has traditionally been a stronghold for the ruling party, with all three Lok Sabha constituencies currently represented by Trinamool MPs. The party secured victories in Murshidabad and Jangipur in the last two parliamentary elections. Baharampur, represented for five consecutive terms by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, was won by Trinamool’s Yusuf Pathan in the most recent Lok Sabha election.

Residents have voiced concerns about Pathan’s perceived indifference to the community's plight amidst communal turmoil. In Beldanga, the sitting MP was notably absent during the recent violence, while Chowdhury was present, even meeting with the family of the deceased worker.

Out of 20 Assembly segments in these parliamentary constituencies (one seat is in Nadia district), Trinamool won 18 in the 2021 state elections. In the same elections, the Beldanga constituency elected Trinamool’s Hasanuzzaman Sheikh with nearly 54,000 votes against his nearest BJP competitor, Sumit Ghosh. The stark division became evident as the polarisation pushed the 2016 winner, Safiujjaman Sheikh from Congress, into a distant third.

While Congress's vote share plummeted by over 36 percent, the BJP increased its share by more than 14 percent, and Trinamool's share rose by about 23 percent.