The flaring of tension in West Bengal following protests against the passing of the waqf act is an unfortunate incident. The state government needs to take immediate steps to maintain law and order in the disturbed areas and display political deftness. It is evident that the protests did not target any particular group and the violence was not with intention to inflict casualties and therefore should not be given a communal color. The response of the opposition bjp also needs to be responsible. While the chief minister mamata banerjee has rightly reassured the Muslims that she would protect their interests similar assurances from the union is absent. When an act concerning only a particular community is passed it is imperative that the community is taken into confidence or at engaged widely and the parliamentary process was nothing short of a snub to them. While it pleases the bjp’s supporters and cadres it does disservice to parliamentary democracy as the system is founded on a general social consensus wherein the minority accepts to be governed by the majority and the majority remains politically independent. Bengal based political parties must ensure legal and democratic space for protest and the state must be prepared for strict administration of law and order.
