- 3 hours ago
A massive political controversy has erupted following violent protests in West Bengal's Malda district over the deletion of voters from the electoral rolls during the SIR process.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point, I'm Gaurav Savant.
00:03Malda is simmering tonight.
00:06But what began on the streets of Malda has now escalated into a full-blown political war.
00:12At the centre is that viral video.
00:15An AIMIM leader, Mufakirul Islam, allegedly seen provoking crowds,
00:22challenging officials, threatening them, calling for protests to intensify.
00:26The police have taken him into custody, they're calling him the mastermind.
00:30He's been now officially arrested, he was trying to flee when arrested near the airport.
00:36But he remains defiant, even in custody.
00:38The flashpoint itself, seven officials of the judiciary,
00:42they were held hostage for several hours, violent protests over voter revision.
00:48Now, the National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe.
00:53Politics have turned shut.
00:55The AIMIM has distanced itself.
00:57The BJP has demanded a probe into possible links with the Thirmul Congress,
01:04showing pictures of the accused with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,
01:09who hit back with charges of conspiracy.
01:13The TMC saying there are pictures that the BJP must answer for.
01:18We get you more in this report.
01:22The Malda Gherao of judicial officers continues to simmer.
01:27Tensions remain high, and now, a fresh political storm has erupted over a viral video.
01:40At the center of the controversy is a video of AIMIM leader, Mufakirul Islam,
01:46seen on camera allegedly provoking a crowd, openly challenging the SP and DM,
01:51and calling for protests to intensify.
02:06The police say Mufakirul Islam is the alleged mastermind behind the Malda violence.
02:12He was arrested from Baghdogra Airport while reportedly trying to flee.
02:31But even after his arrest, his stance remains defiant.
02:35While being detained by the CID, Islam claimed that the protest will continue.
02:51The unrest in Malda's Kalia Chak erupted during protests over SIR voter deletions this week
02:58that turned violent, with seven judicial officers held hostage for hours.
03:03So far, 18 people have been arrested.
03:05The election commission has ordered an NIA probe into the incident.
03:10The political fallout has been swift.
03:12AIMIM has distanced itself from Mufakirul Islam.
03:17We were not active in the party.
03:19We were not doing the work.
03:20We were the first party.
03:22And our party's stance is the same.
03:25The country is above all.
03:27If we try to break the law, we will take action.
03:33Meanwhile, the BJP has seized the issue to attack the Mamata Banerjee government,
03:38even calling for a probe into possible links.
04:03Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, has hit back.
04:31As Malda remains on edge, the battle has clearly moved beyond the streets,
04:36into a full-blown political face-off with questions now over law and order
04:41and the larger electoral narrative in Bengal.
04:44With Indrajit Kundu and Dapas Singh Gupta, Bureau Report, India Today.
04:56And the mastermind of the Malda riots, even in custody, continues to provoke the right accused,
05:03says protests will continue.
05:06The accused, Mufakirul Islam.
05:08Now, is he a leader of the AIMIM?
05:12Is he with another party?
05:14The AIMIM says he used to be with us, no longer with us.
05:18BJP says probe his pictures with Mamata Banerjee.
05:22TMC says there are pictures of his with BJP leaders.
05:26Probe them too.
05:27Now, even when he was being produced in court, look at those images.
05:30He kept saying these protests will continue.
05:35Dramatic situation in Malda district.
05:38So much so that the Supreme Court had to take cognizance.
05:42Now, the accused, Mufakirul Islam, is a practicing lawyer.
05:46He fought the 2021 elections on the AIMIM ticket.
05:52On Wednesday, seven judicial officers, including three women officers,
05:56they were held hostage for several hours inside a block office at Kaliyachak and Malda district
06:02by a group of violent protesters.
06:06They claimed their names had been deleted during the process of judicial education
06:11under logical discrepancy category.
06:15Now, we're getting his reaction.
06:17Just quickly listen in.
06:46So let's try and get you all sides of the law.
06:48The story in the run-up to elections, this is escalating.
06:52Shikha Mukherjee, the senior journalist, joins us on this broadcast.
06:55Sanju Verma is the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
06:59Garga Chatterjee is general secretary of Bengal POKHO.
07:02Garga Chatterjee, let me begin by you.
07:05BJP claims that there are photographs of the accused seen with Bengal chief minister,
07:11Mamata Banerjee, BJP IT cell chief and co-prabhari of Bengal, Amit Malvia.
07:18How do you respond to his claiming that links, alleged links with Mamata Banerjee need to be probed?
07:26See, let's put this whole incident in context.
07:30The elections in West Bengal are coming up.
07:33The assembly elections, Vidant Shobha elections.
07:36And the SIR process by the Election Commission of India is going on, ongoing.
07:42Okay, so what has happened till now?
07:44Let's summarize in a couple of lines.
07:47In the first phase till now, first phase of the SIR, about 25 lakh Hindu Bengalis,
07:55both West Bengal-based Bengalis like mine, who have lived in West Bengal for thousands of years,
08:01and East Bengal refugee Bengalis, their names have been deleted, struck off.
08:06Okay, they have no future.
08:08They don't know what to do.
08:09There are no tribunals, nothing.
08:10So they're in limbo.
08:11They will probably not be able to vote this time.
08:15Okay, so this is not how BJP had planned the SIR.
08:19Okay, something went completely wrong.
08:21It was a misdirected missile in a way.
08:23Okay, so BJP needed to sort of get Muslims, Muslim names, concentrated Muslim names,
08:32which would generate discontent, which would generate a law and order situation.
08:37Sir, whatever you're telling me is your conjecture.
08:40I asked you a very simple, straight question to explain.
08:43I'll come to that.
08:44Sir, because time is at a premium.
08:47Time is at a premium.
08:48I'm not in an academic debate right now, sir.
08:51Time is at a premium.
08:52I know, don't interject, then I can use time in a premium way.
08:57Okay?
08:57Yes, kindly.
08:58Yeah.
08:59So, about 15 lakh Muslim Bengalis, largely concentrated in 3-4 districts, okay?
09:06Murshidabad, Malda, which are Muslim majority districts, by the way.
09:09Their names were deleted, okay?
09:12After that, in Ramnabomi, just which happened, you know, I think last week or something.
09:18Attacks happened in Motabari, exactly the place where this Mufakkar-ul Islam fellow was doing his antics, okay?
09:26His pretty incendiary antics.
09:28And from that Ramnabomi procession, Muslim-owned shops, Muslim Bengali-owned shops were targeted.
09:36I still haven't got a response on Mamta Banerjee's picture, this fellow's picture with Mamta Banerjee.
09:43Sir, fair enough.
09:44I will have to go to other guests because time is at a premium.
09:47I have to bring in Sanju Verma.
09:50Sanju Verma, TMC counters, saying there are images of Mufakkar-ul Islam with BJP leaders.
09:56And he's a BJP agent out there to malign Mamta Banerjee's name.
10:01Respond, madam.
10:02You know, Gaurav, first and foremost, Mufakkar-ul Islam contested on an AIMIM ticket in 2021.
10:11Asad Uddin Ovesi is busy giving lectures to Amit Shah and to Himanta Biswa Sarma.
10:16But Asad Uddin Ovesi's head is buried.
10:19He has not once condemned his own party person.
10:22But today, AIMIM is not only the one party that is in the dock.
10:27I want to ask through your channel.
10:29Yes, the model code of conduct is in place.
10:32Yes, the chief election commissioner and his team are responsible for ensuring free and fair elections.
10:38But, but, but, under Article 324, 325 and 326 of the Indian Constitution and under Section 21 of the Representation
10:48of People's Act 1950-51, despite NCC being in place, it is the chief minister.
10:55And in this case, Mamta Banerjee is not just the chief minister, Gaurav.
10:59She's also the de facto home minister.
11:02Law and order continues to be a state subject under the seventh schedule of the constitution.
11:07So, who is responsible for the fact that seven judicial officers were held as hostages?
11:12Mamta Banerjee.
11:13Who is responsible for the fact that these seven judicial officers, including three women, were intimidated?
11:19The very incompetent Mamta Banerjee.
11:21And Mamta Banerjee, just last 10 seconds.
11:23What did she say?
11:24I don't know who I am.
11:26I don't know who I am.
11:30But again, TMC's allegation, Madam TMC's allegation,
11:36that this Mufakrul Islam's pictures are there with BJP leaders.
11:40He's an agent of the BJP.
11:41You haven't responded to that.
11:43But I'll come back to you.
11:44I will come back to you.
11:46I will come back to you.
11:47Let me bring in Shikha Mukherjee into this conversation.
11:50As a journalist who's studying this closely,
11:52how do you look at this?
11:53Collapse of law and order?
11:55A political flashpoint just ahead of elections?
11:58Or is there an attempt that let passions flare,
12:03it will lead to a division and votes?
12:08You know, Gaurav, I can't come to any of these conclusions
12:12for the simple reason that I am listening to a lot of reactions
12:17about what has happened.
12:21I'm listening to people like you and me discussing how terrible this is.
12:28And I'm listening to people on the street
12:32because I went out and asked them whether they knew what had happened
12:35and what was their reaction.
12:38They said, what do you think we are going to do?
12:40Are we going to take this lying down that our names are going to be deleted?
12:44And then one person turns around and says
12:48that only last night we got to know my brother's name has been deleted.
12:53My mother, the person's mother is on the list.
12:59His sisters are on the list.
13:01He and his daughter have been deleted from the list.
13:05Now, if that is causing rage, yes, it is causing people to feel angry.
13:11And if this is for only one person, that is not true.
13:15Yes, but rage cannot mean taking law in their own hands
13:19and holding judicial officers.
13:21I mean, we as journalists cannot justify.
13:23What has happened is terrible.
13:24You know, what has happened is terrible.
13:26Seven judicial officers being held hostage.
13:28Well, somebody has to be held hostage.
13:32Somebody has to be held hostage.
13:34Somebody is accountable for what has happened.
13:36Yes, courts of law will decide that.
13:39The street will not, the street cannot decide that.
13:41Rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling, hearing, backpacks, blah, blah, blah, blah.
13:49A Mufakirul Islam will not decide that.
13:52This is not a normal election process.
13:55Let's face it.
13:56Courts of law, you know, fair enough.
14:00Everybody, everybody, everybody, I am surprised that the candidate cannot be beaten up.
14:02Yes, but nothing can justify a Mufakirul Islam saying, you know, taking legal officers into hostage.
14:09I mean, tomorrow we'll end up being a banana republic.
14:11If this is what happens.
14:15Because the unprecedented process is like a banana republic.
14:22Gaurav, can I please?
14:23Sanju Verma wants to respond.
14:24Yes.
14:26Gaurav, I don't want to get personal with anyone.
14:28Instead of condemning unconditionally the fact that Mamta Bhanerji's TMC is indulging in brazen vandalism,
14:38thagari, intimidation of judges, Shikha Mukherjee very conveniently says,
14:43Oh, but asa yaar exercise ke dauraan, so many names were deleted.
14:47So, Shikha Mukherjee, are you saying if somebody's name is deleted, he or she can hold a judge to ransom?
14:53Are you saying that he or she's family can be intimidated?
14:56Are you saying judges and their vehicles should be pelted with stones?
15:00They should be, you know, abused in public glare?
15:04Is that what you're trying to say, Shikha Mukherjee?
15:06You should not be calling yourself.
15:08Gaurav, can I respond to this?
15:10Yes, quickly, because I want to bring in Gargah into this conversation, but quickly respond.
15:14You are 159 police observers appointed by the election commission on the ground in West Bengal.
15:22What we're doing.
15:24Okay, only Ms. Mukherjee.
15:26Ms. Verma, only Ms. Mukherjee, please.
15:29You made your point, ma'am.
15:30Only Ms. Mukherjee.
15:30Go on, ma'am.
15:31Complete your point.
15:32Gaurav, my simple point is this.
15:34There are 159 police observers sent by the election commission on the ground in West Bengal at this point.
15:42So what were they doing?
15:44They had no idea of how much security a judicial team needs in a particularly sensitive area like Motabari and
15:53Kalyachok in Maldap.
15:57Why were not arrangements made?
15:59I am stupid.
16:01This very clearly indicates in the run-up to elections, central armed police forces and additional state police forces should
16:08be deployed so that there is no breakdown of law and order.
16:11If judicial officers are not safe in our country, then who will be safe in Bengal or if this happens
16:18in other parts of the country.
16:19But Gargachada Ji, data shows the highest number of pending cases under the SIR and as you point out are
16:26in Muslim dominated districts.
16:27Whether it's Murshidabad, 11 lakh, Mal Dabod, 8.2 lakh, South 24 Parganaz, 5.2 lakhs.
16:35Isn't court the way to move forward?
16:39I mean, as Mufikur al-Islam cannot hold judicial officers hostage to get his name or other names into that
16:48voter list?
16:52Mahurav, that's dated, that's dated data.
16:54You tell your research team to do better.
16:56For example, right now, many of the cases have been adjudicated.
16:59It's done.
17:0011 and 8 were numbers from one month ago.
17:02So right now, as it stands, about 30, 20, 28 lakh Hindu Bengali names have been cut off.
17:09And now 15 lakh Muslim Bengali names have been cut off.
17:12I will go by official data that is there.
17:13You may have your own data, but I will go by data that I have, but be that as it
17:17may, complete your point, sir.
17:18That's fine.
17:19No, let me, we work on the ground every day.
17:21Your research team does this half an hour before the show.
17:23No, that is not true.
17:26Just come to the point, sir.
17:27Don't insult me, okay?
17:28I'm not insulting you, but kindly return the same favor.
17:32Kindly extend the same courtesy.
17:34Exactly.
17:35So, after the Ramnawami attacks,
17:38OSI came down to West Bengal.
17:40This OSI's candidate from last election, this Mufakarul fellow,
17:44he came down to Muthabari, which did not erupt before, okay?
17:48This OSI meets that Babri Masjid fellow, you know, that Humayun Kobir.
17:54And they start up this whole area.
17:56And still, and still, this is the important part, okay?
18:02People of Bengal have chosen to protest this all over Bengal.
18:08I need to make a clear statement.
18:10Sanju Verma wants to respond.
18:12This AI meme party.
18:13Sanju Verma wants to respond.
18:15Because clearly, it is for the voter to decide.
18:19It is for the voter to decide who that voter will vote for.
18:24Not for anybody else to decide who has a certain vote bank.
18:27Go on, Ms. Verma, respond.
18:54There were riots in Murshidabad.
18:57And Mamata Banerjee said,
18:59So, I am not surprised that what happened,
19:02right under the long and incompetent laws of Mamata Banerjee,
19:05wherein judicial officers were held as hostages,
19:09Mamata Banerjee continues with her
19:11attitude and shame on people like
19:14Shikha Mukherjee.
19:15They come on television debates and don't have the guts to.
19:18No, no, no personal, ma'am, no personal attacks.
19:22But since you've mentioned, Ms. Mukherjee,
19:24Ms. Mukherjee, 30 seconds to respond since I'm out of time on this show.
19:27The fact does remain.
19:28I actually didn't hear what she was saying because the connection was bad.
19:32Sure, no, nothing, nothing, nothing should justify
19:35anybody taking law in his own hands.
19:38That cannot be considered right.
19:40They have to approach courts of law.
19:42You know, I hope if that's one thing that we take away from our conversation,
19:46I've run out of time and hopefully we'll have all of you back for this conversation.
19:51This, in the run-up to elections,
19:53does threaten to make this battlefield even more volatile.
19:58And we'll be tracking that story closely.
19:59We'll be tracking that story closely.
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