Communal violence incidents had sharply increased over the past three years in West Bengal, a data compiled by the Union Home Ministry said.
While the State recorded 27 incidents of violence in 2015 in which five persons died and 84 suffered injuries, the number of incidents almost doubled by 2017 when 58 incidents of violence were recorded, in which nine people lost their lives and 230 were injured.
In 2016, there were 32 incidents of communal strife in the State. The biggest spurt in such incidents occurred between 2016 and 2017.
The details of the number of incidents of communal violence in different States were made public by Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in Lok Sabha on February 6.
An analysis of the data tabled in Parliament by the Union Home Ministry in answer to questions revealed that though there had been a spurt in the incidents between 2015 and 2017, West Bengal had not been a stranger to incidents of communal violence. Between 2011 and 2014, 20 incidents of communal violence on an average were reported every year, peaking in 2012 and 2013 when 23 and 24 incidents were reported. The lowest was in 2011 and 2014 when 15 and 16 incidents of communal violence were recorded .
The data compiled for the year 2010, when the Left Front government was in power, listed 21 incidents in which six persons died and 82 suffered injuries.
Well-known activist Sujato Bhadra said that recent unrest in south Bengal where at least three people died and scores including a policeman have sustained injuries indicated a spurt in incidents of communal violence.
“West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has failed to ideologically counter the BJP-RSS combine by indulging in soft Hindutva.
Not only did the government allow processions on Ram Navami but prominent TMC leaders brought out similar rallies,” Mr. Bhadra said.
