Mamata Banerjee has urged the people of riot-hit Samserganj in Murshidabad district not to get ensnared by provocation by the saffron camp and other forces that allegedly seek to foment tension and spread hatred.

Addressing her first public meeting in Murshidabad on Tuesday, following last month’s communal violence, the chief minister asserted that she would rather be beheaded than tolerate division.

Reassuring that the BJP-led Centre's contentious waqf legislation wouldn't be implemented in Bengal as long as she was in charge of the state, Mamata said she would be the biggest enemy of those creating confusion on the issue, recalling her role in the anti-citizenship matrix protests before the pandemic.

"This is my humble request to you. I am always there to guide you, watch over you, and maybe to some I am beneath their feet, which is a matter of pride.... My request to you is that please do not get instigated by heeding the BJP, other religious organisations, or fundamentalists, do not allow the creation of division among yourselves," Mamata said at a state government event in Suti, where she inaugurated or laid foundation stones for 167 projects in Murshidabad, worth ₹718 crore.

"I would rather have my head severed from my body... I prefer that to witnessing division. I will be happy with that, but I do not wish to see any riots... I am against all riots," she added.

"The people do not carry out riots, but outsiders who are brought to the state in a pre-planned way to engineer riots. You get trapped. Do not do so."

Before the event, Mamata went with senior administrative officials to Dhulian and met 400 strife-singed families. Her government gave them multiple forms of assistance, in addition to cheques for ₹1.20 lakh for each of 236 families.

The Trinamool Congress dispensation has been under fire for its alleged failure to avert violence and vandalism in pockets of Murshidabad that affected hundreds of families, claimed at least three lives and injured dozens in April, in the wake of protests against the waqf law.

Mamata has been blaming the saffron ecosystem, generally, and Union home minister Amit Shah, specifically, for the series of untoward events.

"I do not have anything new to say about waqf... do not insist. There is no question of that here. If you must protest, go to Delhi (as it is a central law). There is no problem in Bengal, because I am here. Hindu property, Muslim property, Sikh property, Christian property... I will not have any taken away," she said.

"The case was stayed by the Supreme Court and is now sub judice. Do not confuse, if you do, I will be your biggest enemy," she added.

"Did they not try to snatch rights through NRC-NPR? Did we or did we not hit the streets? Let me think it over and make a decision."

The chief minister said she would not stand by anybody who participated in riots and asked the people to remain as vigilant as the administration on outsiders, to identify the "enemies".

"If you do not participate in riots, Didi will be with you. But if you do — even if everyone else is with you — Didi will not be with you. It is always my dream to see the light and not the darkness," said the Trinamool chairperson.

Repeatedly urging the women to take the lead in combating communal flare-ups, Mamata underscored that religion means humanity, devotion, harmony, and culture, and that she loved all faiths.

"They (the BJP) say I do not have faith in religion. Will I have to take lessons from them? I follow only one, foremost religion that is humanity. Ma-Mati-Manush (mother-soil-people) is my gotra," she said.

Succour for martyr

On the dais, Mamata lauded Jhantu Ali Sheikh's sacrifice and provided his wife with financial assistance of ₹10 lakh, besides a job with Krishnanagar police district.

She also promised to have his children's education taken care of. "They are brave hearts and we salute them... they are our pride. We must always remember such families and stand by them," said the chief minister.

The 37-year-old commando of 6 Para Special Forces, Jhantu, laid down his life during a counter-insurgency operation in Udhampur, Kashmir.