A BJP delegation comprising Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh faced several demonstrations by alleged Trinamul Congress supporters when the legislators reached the Chopra block in North Dinajpur district on Tuesday to visit the shops and houses damaged in the post-results violence.

While the BJP leaders were trying to enter the Chopra police station in the morning to hand over a list of 42 violent incidents which had occurred following the counting of Assembly election votes on May 2, a group of Trinamul supporters raised protests.

Wielding black flags, the protesters raised “go back” slogans. There was jostling between the BJP delegates and the demonstrators.

After meeting the police officers, Bista and other BJP leaders visited markets in areas like Sonapur in the Chopra block where a number of shops had been damaged in the violence. The delegates couldn’t, however, visit the houses of affected BJP supporters as Trinamul went on holding demonstrations.

“While we were visiting Chopra, a group of anti-socials gathered near the police station and tried to assault us. Central forces could prevent any untoward incident. Trinamul has been unleashing terror in Chopra for the past two weeks, looting BJP supporters’ homes and shops,” Bista said after the visit. Chopra Assembly seat is in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha segment.

“So far, police have arrested five persons but there are many others who have perpetrated violence. We want the police to be more active to restore law and order in Chopra,” said the MP.

Local Trinamul leaders denied Bista’s charges and accused the MP of trying to foment tension.

“The MP had been elected in 2019. After that, we didn’t see him in our area. Now, he has come to foment tension. That is why our supporters held protests peacefully,” said Arindam Sarkar, the convener of North Dinajpur district Trinamul.