Mamata visits Murshidabad; slams Centre for 'encouraging communal tension instead of securing nation'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BJP of spreading a "heavily loaded communal virus in the country", and also urged the Centre to protect the country's borders and deliver justice to families affected by the Pahalgam terror attack, rather than indulge in alleged "nasty and dirty politics".

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Visiting the riot-hit Murshidabad district for the first time since communal clashes broke out in April, Banerjee alleged that the BJP was "shielding" those responsible for the violence and "preventing" the affected families from meeting her. Banerjee also levelled charges against the Border Security Force, claiming, "Why did the BSF fire shots? If BSF hadn't fired shots, the incident would not have flared up the next day."

"Those who are inciting riots are enemies of Bengal," she said, addressing the media. "I want peace, not riots. West Bengal is known for its communal harmony, and we will protect that at any cost. I want to ask them (BJP), why is this heavily loaded virus being spread to create communal tension and sell the country?" she alleged.