BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar on Sunday was prevented by police from entering Howrah’s Shibpur that had witnessed violence during a Ram Navami procession on Thursday evening.
Police sources said Majumdar — who complained to Union home minister Amit Shah in writing — wanted to visit the troubled-prone area of Howrah’s Shibpur, but was stopped because the administration had imposed Section 144 of the CRPC to avoid any intimidation that could lead to aggravating the situation.
“Majumdar was first stopped near the second Hooghly bridge. He was again stopped near the Betaitala area of Shibpur — around a kilometre from the spot of violence,” a police source said.
Majumdar, however, accused the police of playing a biased role to stop him as the law-enforcers have not been stopping Trinamul Congress leaders to conduct meetings in the troubled pockets of Howrah with dozens of people.
“The police have stopped me showing Section 144. Interestingly, the same law was not applied to Trinamul’s minister Arup Roy who has been conducting meetings in the affected zones. The people of Bengal can see that the home and chief minister Mamata Banerjee is working for a particular community, not for all,” said Majumdar who later went to the BJP’s Howrah party office, where he conducted a news conference.
Trinamul accused Majumdar of his attempt to visit Howrah as part of the BJP’s plan to instigate conflict between the communities.
“Majumdar should remember Arup Roy is part of the state government, he is a minister. The government is trying to pacify the area from Day One and the visits of minister Roy were part of that process. The BJP’s state president was going to support those who were found with guns and the motive of his visit was further intimidation. So, no one should compare the visit of a state’s minister and BJP president,” said Trinamul state general-secretary Kunal Ghosh.
A new bout of conflict between two communities was reported on Sunday evening from Hooghly’s Rishra, during a procession to celebrate Ram Navami, which was headed by the BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh.
People belonging to two communities were involved in a clash when a procession with war cries of Jai Sri Ram was passing through an area on GT Road. BJP leaders claimed that at least six people, including BJP’s Pursurah MLA Biman Ghosh, were injured as stones were pelted from various corners. Several fruit-selling carts and roadside shops were set ablaze, allegedly by the participants of the procession after the attack.
The injured persons have been admitted to various hospitals in Rishra and Serampore.
“There was a peaceful rally and the attack came from different sides as it was passing an area in Rishra. We were hardly saved from the rain of stones. Police were mum spectators and a few of them also faced the attack,” claimed Dilip Ghosh.
A large contingent of police from the Chandernagore commisionerate reached the spot and took the situation under control by disbursing the mob by firing tear gas shells.
Senior Trinamul leaders like Serampore MP Kalyan Banerjee reached the spot to pacify the people agitating on road.
“The Ram Navami procession was taken out with bamboo rods and sticks. We never witnessed such a violent procession in our area. Police would take action as per the law,” said Banerjee, the Serampore MP.
However, a section of Trinamul leaders said they are not aware of why the police allowed such a procession even after two days of Ram Navami.
“We don’t know why such a procession was allowed by the police. We have recently witnessed the Howrah violence and the cops had to learn from that experience,” said a Trinamul leader.
