The Bengal Assembly on Monday passed two bills to identify “goondas”, hold them in preventive detention for up to a year, and confiscate and auction off their assets to secure compensation for damage to public or private property.
Such laws can make it possible for the government to identify political or civil rights protesters as “goondas” and seize their property, or detain political activists for long periods ahead of agitation programmes, as some Opposition members underlined.
The West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, identifies “goondas” who can be detained for up to 12 months. Those considered bigger threats cannot hire their own lawyers and can only seek help from the government’s legal aid services.
According to the bill, anyone who “either by himself or as a member or leader of a group, gang or syndicate habitually commits, attempts to commit, abets, promotes, finances or facilitates anti-social activities” can be identified as a “goonda”. It leaves “anti-social activities” undefined.
The West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026, makes goondas liable to pay compensation for damaging property. A Claims Commission will decide the compensation.
“The existing acts don’t make criminals liable for damage to public or private property or force them to pay compensation,” chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who also holds the home portfolio, told the House.
“Why has this law become necessary? Because the state has a duty to protect public and private property during riots, unlawful assemblies, violent protests and other law-and-order disturbances.”
Opposition members questioned several provisions, such as prevention detentions for up to a year and the refusal to allow some detainees to be represented by their own lawyers. They asked whether the new law would be used to deal with political movements.
“The government should make it clear whether this act would be used to silence agitations by students or political leaders,” ISF leader and Bhangar MLA Nawsad Siddiqui said.
Siddiqui added: “The government should also clarify whether there is any safeguard in case officials misuse the act.”
Suvendu assured Opposition members that “bhadralok” – he specifically identified a rebel Trinamool member as such -- would not be harassed.
A major part of Suvendu’s reply was devoted to justifying the bills by referring to violence during political protests – mostly by Muslims – while accusing the previous government of instigation.
He referred to the murders of Haragobinda Das and his son Chandan Das in Dhuliyan, Murshidabad, last year during communal violence triggered by protests against the Centre’s amendments to the waqf law.
He went on to mention several political murders in Diamond Harbour and Nandigram. He alleged the destruction of government and private property during the anti-CAA agitation of 2019 and the protests against comments made by then BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharmain 2022.
“In Mothabari, 81 shops were looted and torched. In Dhulian, Murshidabad, properties worth ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore were damaged and torched. This is the reason these laws became necessary,” the chief minister said.
“But I can assure you, they will not be used against any innocent or good people.”
Relatives of the Dases and some other victims of violence watched from the gallery as the House passed the bills. When Suvendu mentioned that Haragobinda’s wife was present, ruling party MLAs stood up and clapped.
Suvendu said his government would not tolerate any attack on police and referred to two incidents, at Asansol in West Burdwan and Park Circus in Calcutta.
“In Asansol, a police outpost was vandalised. We recovered compensation. We will recover it with interest; we will recover three times the amount, if necessary,”he said.
“We will recover it even by attaching and selling the offenders’ property. We will seize every asset required to ensure speedy recovery.”
He added: “Do not think this police minister is like the previous ones. It’s my responsibility to protect the police. I want to send a message to all the victims’ families that what has happened is now history. If such incidents occur again, this law will be enforced strictly.”
A source said that by taking the police’s side, the chief minister had sent out a message that his government would not let the force’s morale go down, which happened multiple times during Mamata Banerjee’s tenure.
Suvendu spent a considerable time attacking Mamata and her party, whom he accused of misleading people and inciting violence during the anti-CAA protests of 2019.
He said the protesters damaged railway stations, tracks, government buses as well as private property and blocked a road for 36 hours in Santragachi, Howrah, but the then government refused to act.