Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged “RSS role” behind the unrest at Sandeshkhali, asserting “outsiders” had sinister plans of unleashing tension there during Saraswati Puja.

She added that untoward incidents were averted as her government took stern steps to handle the situation, underscoring the arrest of 17 persons.

Mamata, in her address in the House during a discussion on the state budget, said: “I want to say that there is an RSS base and they are trying to create disturbances. A riot occurred in the area seven-eight years ago…. It is a spot vulnerable to tension.”

“They are trying to create disturbances between the minorities and tribal people,” Mamata alleged.

She accused central agencies of targeting her party leader Sheikh Shahjahan.

“The Enforcement Directorate targeted Shahjahan and entered the area… and then outsiders entered through that same route,” said Mamata, referring to the January 5 incident when the ED, in Sandeshkhali to search Shahjahan’s house as part of its ration scam probe, had faced a mob attack.

The chief minister told the House that the situation in Sandeshkhali was now under control. An all-woman police team was probing allegations of crimes against women and the state women’s commission had also been sent for a ground report. Mamata, also Bengal’s home minister, said women cops were specifically asked to interact with village women.

Apparently referring to charges of crimes against women and land-grab by some local leaders of her party,
the Trinamul chief said people were her foremost priority and she would not tolerate
any wrongdoing.

However, she also questioned the identity of the women who led the Sandeshkhali protest last week.

“Who were the ones speaking with their faces covered? Who are they? Outsiders,” said Mamata.

She acknowledged that people might have some grievances, but asserted no one could be allowed to foment tension.

Fervent political activities by the BJP and the CPM continued on Thursday in Basirhat and along the roads towards Sandeshkhali.

Police set up blockades at several points on Malancha Road, ending at Dhamakhali Ghat, particularly to prevent BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari from entering Sandeshkhali.

The Nandigram MLA arrived at Laskarpara at around 2.15pm in a bus, along with three other party MLAs, but a large team of police, led by Basirhat’s sub-divisional police officer Aminul Islam, blocked their way to Sandeshkhali. Adhikari sat in protest for two hours at Laskarpara before leaving for Calcutta, promising to be back with a court order allowing him to go to Sandeshkhali.

“I will come back soon and nobody can stop me…. I will go to court tomorrow (Friday) and return with full legal authority. Those who stopped me will face legal consequences,” he claimed.

Trinamul supporters sloganeered against him, leading to an altercation with BJP supporters, before police cleared the way for Adhikari’s vehicle.

In Basirhat, the CPM led a rally to gherao the district police chief’s office. Supporters, led by CPM central committee member Sujan Chakraborty, broke through two barricades. Police caned the protesters.

A National Commission for Scheduled Castes team visited the troubled spots in Sandeshkhali, before alleging non-cooperation by state administration.