Kolkata, 06 August (H.S.): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Thursday became emotional while recalling the violence in Murshidabad and Malda last year, saying the suffering of women during the unrest had left such a deep impact on her that she could not sleep for eight days.

Addressing the 'Nari ke Netritva Mein Viksit Bengal' (Developed Bengal Led by Women) conference organised by the NCW in Kolkata, Rahatkar referred to the violence that erupted in several parts of Murshidabad, including Dhuliyan and Samserganj, during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in 2025. She said the violence had forced a large number of women and families to flee their homes and take shelter in neighbouring Malda.

Recalling her visit to the affected areas with an NCW delegation, Rahatkar said she witnessed the pain, fear and displacement of the victims first-hand.

I saw women carrying their newborn babies as they fled their homes. Watching a mother forced to migrate with a one-and-a-half-day-old infant was heartbreaking. Those scenes shook me from within, and I could not sleep for eight days, she said.

The NCW had taken suo motu cognisance of the violence and dispatched a fact-finding team to the affected districts. The delegation visited relief camps in Murshidabad and Malda, interacted with nearly 350 affected families, heard their grievances and assured them of all possible assistance in securing justice.

The programme was attended by representatives of the West Bengal government, including Panchayat Minister Dilip Ghosh, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Malati Rava Roy, Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh, and several prominent women from different fields.

Rahatkar said the memories of the Murshidabad and Malda violence remain vivid in her mind and stressed the need for all institutions to work with greater sensitivity to ensure the safety, dignity and justice of women.

The NCW's report on the Murshidabad violence had also observed that the unrest created an atmosphere of fear among residents. It noted that several affected people did not receive timely police assistance and that public confidence in the police had been weakened. The Commission recommended a more sensitive and accountable administrative response to such incidents in the future.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh