Murshidabad violence: NCW chief urges West Bengal government to address grievances of riot-hit people

NCW chairperson urges West Bengal government to address grievances of riot-hit Murshidabad district residents, particularly women, urgently.

Calling upon the West Bengal government to act urgently to address the grievances of the riot-hit people of Murshidabad district, particularly women, National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Sunday (April 20, 2025) said the panel is preparing a report which will be submitted soon to the Centre with copies to top State officials.

Meeting reporters at a city hotel, Ms. Rahatkar said during the past two days she and other panel members came across many women, their families and children and the torture and suffering they faced was "beyond imagination, beyond words having left a deep scar in their minds", which need to be healed and addressed on an urgent basis with a humanitarian approach.

Advocating confidence-building measures by the State administration, she said “responsibility in bringing in peace lies with the State government.”

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The NCW chief said the commission is preparing a report incorporating the views of all those women, who narrated their ordeal and who credited forces like BSF for saving their lives and honour. The report will be submitted to the Centre and copies to the DGP and Chief Secretary of West Bengal soon, she said.

To a question about the women demanding BSF camp be posted in the area, she said, “Yes that is what many of them said. There is an air of fear and insecurity in the area. We will certainly incorporate their views in our report.”

Calling upon the State government “to act promptly and urgently to address the pains of these people,” she said, “Give them justice, wipe their tears, make arrangements for immediate compensation to make up for their losses (damage to households and properties and loot of belongings).”