Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Apr 21: National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has urged West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose to ensure the safety of women and children in Murshidabad, a district rocked by violence over the Waqf (Amendment) Act last week.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Sunday evening, Rahatkar said, “The situation in Murshidabad is alarming. I have updated the Governor about the condition of the women and children and appealed for their safety and security.”

Rahatkar, who has been touring the violence-hit pockets of Murshidabad for the past two days, led an NCW delegation that also visited a relief camp in neighbouring Malda district, where families displaced by the communal unrest are currently staying.

She praised the Border Security Force (BSF) for playing a crucial role in protecting women after their deployment in the region on April 12. “The women themselves credited the BSF personnel for coming to their rescue during the crisis,” she noted.

The NCW delegation is expected to submit a comprehensive report to the Union government detailing their findings and recommendations.

During their interactions in Murshidabad, local women raised a strong demand for the permanent presence of BSF camps in the region to prevent further violence. Rahatkar assured them that the commission would take up the issue with the union ministry of Home Affairs.