KOLKATA: Caught off guard by the violence during anti-waqf Act protests in Murshidabad - a TMC stronghold - and facing criticism on social media, party MPs and MLAs from the area blamed 'outsiders' and'police' for the bloodshed.
Jangipur MP Khalilur Rahaman alleged that the attackers were mainly outsiders. "They might have come from neighbouring Malda and Nadia districts, via land or water routes. We conducted a route march with MLAs to appeal for harmony," Rahaman said.
Farakka MLA Manirul Islam, whose brother's house was attacked by a mob on Saturday, supported the "outsider" theory.
"Such things have never happened in this area. This could not have been possible without the role of outsiders. There might be some insiders involved, but the perpetrators came from outside," said Islam.