The communal violence that erupted in Murshidabad, West Bengal, in April 2025, leaving three dead, hundreds displaced, and vehicles torched, is a stark testament to the deepening fault lines in the state’s political landscape. Triggered by protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the unrest exposed the administrative failures of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) unrelenting push for Hindutva-driven polarisation, and the high stakes of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election. This episode is not an isolated flare-up but a grim preview of a state hurtling toward a bitterly contested electoral battle, where communal narratives threaten to overshadow governance and accountability. The Murshidabad violence lays bare the interplay of administrative incompetence, cynical political strategies, and a polarised electorate, setting the stage for a volatile path to 2026.

Mamata Banerjee’s administration has faced relentless criticism for its inability to anticipate or contain the Murshidabad unrest. Despite prior intelligence about planned protests, the state police appeared unprepared, with reports indicating officers hesitated to act until the Border Security Force (BSF) arrived. The violence, concentrated in Muslim-majority areas like Dhulian and Shamsherganj, saw mobs vandalise homes, torch vehicles, and attack government offices, with a Block Development Office reduced to rubble. The Calcutta High Court’s order to deploy central forces underscored the state’s failure to maintain order. Mamata’s response—labelling the riots “pre-planned” and blaming the BJP, BSF,........

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