Kolkata, Apr 15 (PTI) The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Tuesday called upon the state administration to put an immediate stop to attacks on lives and properties of Hindus in pockets of West Bengal over the Waqf Act-related protests, and demanded compensation for the victims.

It also asserted that if such incidents recur elsewhere in the state, the Centre’s intervention would become necessary.

Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, the national secretary general (organisation) of VHP, Milind Parande, also criticised Siddiqullah Chowdhury and Firhad Hakim – two TMC ministers of the state – for their reported statements in the wake of the violence, and termed those “provocative and insensitive”.

Parande said the fleeing of Bengali Hindus from their homes in Dhulian area of Murshidabad district and taking shelter in adjacent Malda district to escape attack from “jihadi marauders”, is reminiscent of “the exodus of Kashmiri pandits from Jammu and Kashmir in the past”.

The West Bengal government should ensure that law and order does not worsen in Siliguri “during any anti-Waqf (Amendment) Act agitation” or in other places in the state, he said.

“Otherwise, the intervention of the central government will become necessary,” Parande said.

On West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim’s comments that the attacks on Hindus in parts of Murshidabad were “shocking but stray incidents”, the VHP leader said “it is a matter of shame” and testimony of the “casual approach” of the Mamata Banerjee government over the plight of Hindus in the district.

“Instead of issuing such statements, the government must ensure that the violence stops, security and compensation are given (to the victims), and attackers and instigators booked for atrocities on Hindus. These comments show that the administration is not serious in addressing the core issues,” Parande said.

Hakim had also called upon those protesting over the Waqf (Amendment) Act to channelise their agitation against the central government, “which was behind passage of the Act and hold protests in Delhi instead of targeting state properties and indulging in arson”.

Blaming certain forces “who want to polarise people of Bengal for political gains”, Hakim had asserted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already spoken against the Act, and assured the Muslim community about her government’s stand.

Parande also termed as “provocative” a recent statement by another West Bengal minister Siddiqulla Chowdhury that the protests against the Waqf Act will spread in the districts and then in Kolkata, and called for legal action against him.

These TMC leaders cannot escape responsibility for the “attacks on Hindus in Dhulian, Suti and Shamsherganj of Murshidabad, which are condemnable to say the least”, he said.

Parande demanded deployment of central forces in certain sensitive parts of the state to save lives and properties.

Wishing people of the state on the occasion of Bengali New Year, he added: “May peace, order and rule of law be established in West Bengal. Let the jihadi attacks on the lives and properties of Hindus of the state stop in the name of the Waqf movement.” PTI SUS SMY RBT