Kolkata, April 14: Amid the continuing air of tension in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, which has been on the boil for the last few days with violent protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the administration has decided to extend the suspension of Internet services to the adjacent districts of Malda and Birbhum.

At the same time, some additional areas in the Murshidabad district have also been brought under the ambit of the suspension of Internet services. Earlier, the suspension of Internet services was enforced mainly in troubled areas like Suti, Jangipur, Dhulian, and Samserganj, among others, the areas that were most affected by violence and riot-like situations.

An insider from the state police said that although following the beginning of joint patrolling by the state police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel since Saturday night following an order of a special division bench of the Calcutta High Court, the situation in Murshidabad has come more or less unless control as of now. The main headache of the law enforcement authorities is the continuing spreading and sharing of fake information regarding the tension through different social media platforms.

The suspension of Internet service in the extended areas will be enforced till 10 p.m. on April 15. Whether the suspension will be lifted or not after that will be decided on the situation prevailing then.

Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF), whose personnel are mainly deputed to the troubled areas, will send a comprehensive report on the development following the visit of the BSF’s Additional Director General (Eastern Command) Ravi Gandhi to the troubled pockets.

During the visit, Gandhi will review the deployment of the BSF personnel in the region and also discuss with the senior officers of the state police how better coordination could be achieved on this count.

The BSF has also been alerted to ensure absolute security of the villages adjacent to the International Borders with Bangladesh in the Murshidabad and Malda districts, to ensure that members from underground extremist groups there cannot enter the Indian Territory and fuel the existing tension.

Meanwhile, as per the latest report available, almost 500 families from the different troubled pockets in the Murshidabad district are currently homeless and have taken shelter at a temporary relief camp at a school in the adjacent Malda district. These families are mainly from the Dhulian and Samserganj areas.

Hisar, April 14: On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated air services from Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Haryana’s Hisar in the presence of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

During the launch of the first commercial flight of the 70-seater Alliance Air plane from Hisar to Ayodhya, the foundation stone of the terminal-2 building at the airport was also laid.

The Chief Minister said this airport is a significant gift not only for the people of Hisar but also for neighboring districts. The launch of air services will greatly enhance regional trade, tourism and investment opportunities.

He said the Prime Minister’s visit underscored his unwavering commitment to the development of Haryana. “Today is the 135th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who framed the Constitution. I pay my tributes to him and extend my greetings to the entire state. April 14 is going to be historic as we are going to witness the flag off of the flight services from Hisar to Ayodhya,” CM Saini said.

During his day-long visit, PM Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several major development projects of Rs 10,000 crore aimed at enhancing the state’s infrastructure and connectivity.

The terminal project, valued at over Rs 410 crore, will include a state-of-the-art passenger terminal, a cargo terminal, and an air traffic control building.

Taking to X, PM Modi on Sunday posted, “Tomorrow, on Ambedkar Jayanti, the day will be dedicated to Haryana’s development journey. At around 10:15 in the morning, I will inaugurate commercial flights between Hisar-Ayodhya and lay the foundation stone of the new terminal building of the airport. In the afternoon, there is a program related to many projects in Yamunanagar as well.”

The introduction of scheduled flights from Hisar — twice weekly to Ayodhya and thrice weekly to Jammu, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh — marks a significant milestone in Haryana’s aviation connectivity.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will also address a public meeting in Hisar before heading to Yamunanagar at around 12.30 p.m. There, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of additional development projects and interact with the public.

Underscoring the Centre’s commitment to expanding power infrastructure and ensuring last-mile electricity delivery, the PMO statement said that PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for an 800 MW thermal power unit at the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamuna Nagar. The Rs 8,470 crore project will be spread over 233 acres and is expected to significantly improve Haryana’s energy security and power supply reliability.

Furthering the GOBARDhan initiative (Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan), the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a Compressed Biogas Plant in Mukarabpur, Yamuna Nagar. With an annual production capacity of 2,600 metric tonnes, the plant will promote organic waste management, clean energy generation, and environmental conservation.

In addition, PM Modi will inaugurate the Rewari Bypass project, a 14.4 km stretch developed at a cost of Rs 1,070 crore under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. This infrastructure boost will help decongest Rewari City, cut travel time between Delhi and Narnaul by approximately one hour, and foster economic and social activity in the region.

New Delhi, April 12: Maulana Sajid Rashidi, President of the All India Imam Association (AIIA), on Saturday appealed to Muslims across the country not to protest against the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, emphasising the importance of peace and education over unrest.

Maulana Sajid Rashidi said that the Waqf Bill has now become law. “I don’t find anything in it that warrants taking to the streets. Yes, there are individuals who seem to want riots in the country, like Asaduddin Owaisi. His statements suggest that Muslims should rise and protest, warning of conspiracies to take away mosques. This kind of rhetoric, in my opinion, is aimed at inciting communal unrest,” he said.

He alleged that Owaisi’s thinking is that there should be unrest in the country so that he can emerge as ‘Jinnah’ and form another country.

He further criticised leaders and organisations he believes are provoking unrest for personal or political gain.

“Some of these people who are protesting have vast properties. Be it Owaisi in Hyderabad or members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board with land holdings in Rajasthan and Delhi – they are not representing the common Muslim. They are exploiting the situation for their benefit,” he said.

Maulana Rashidi expressed concern over the recent violence in Murshidabad, West Bengal, where protests turned violent, leading to arson and destruction of public property.

“Crowds are difficult to control once they are on the streets. We’ve seen what can happen – vehicles are burned, people get hurt, and chaos ensues. Protesting is a constitutional right, but it must be done peacefully. Taking to the streets only risks painting Muslims as troublemakers once again,” he added.

He further urged Muslims to shift focus toward progress and education.

“This is not the time to get arrested or invite trouble. Instead, we should concentrate on education, business, and national development. Other communities don’t take to the streets every time they disagree with a government decision. Why should only Muslims be pushed to do so?” he asked.

Reaffirming his support for the Waqf (Amendment) Act, Maulana Rashidi said: “I supported the Act then, and I support it now. Why should Muslims oppose it just because someone tells us to? We are citizens of this country and have contributed immensely to its freedom. Over 37,000 Muslims are named in the records of revolutionaries at the National Museum. Why should we be labeled as stone-pelters or terrorists?”

He further reacted to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent statement that the Waqf Act would not be implemented in the state.

“No Chief Minister or individual has the authority to reject a law passed by Parliament and signed by the President. Such defiance is unconstitutional and amounts to treason. These are just vote-bank politics aimed at inciting Muslims. The Opposition is playing a dangerous game by trying to bring Muslims onto the streets.”

Maulana Rashidi concluded by appealing for introspection within the community.

“Why is the Opposition asking Muslims to protest? Have you seen any party saying, ‘Let Hindus join us on the streets too’? No. They just want Muslims to protest, and we end up paying the price. The Constitution does not allow selective implementation of laws. Muslims must think wisely, stay calm, and look at the bigger picture,” he said.

He further advised the community to reassess its political choices.

“For 60 years, Muslims supported Congress and other parties, yet we still feel marginalised. Why not give the BJP a chance for five years? If it doesn’t work, we can make another choice,” he concluded.