Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of violence were seen across the state after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and CPI (M) took out protest rallies over the Sandeshkhali incident. Cooch Behar, Malda, Berhampore and especially Basirhat became a warzone after police clashed with BJP and CPI (M) workers and leaders.
State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar along with other leaders and workers took a local train to reach Basirhat in order to avoid police resistance. While reaching SP office in Basirhat, the BJP workers and leaders had broken the barricades done by police and then stones were seen getting pelted.
Several BJP workers were also injured during the scuffle with police and the police had to fire tear gas in order to tackle the situation. “We had informed the SP that we would come to visit him but he did not reply. Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons along with police started pelting stones. People from the terrace started throwing stones so that I and my party workers gets injured,” said Majumdar.
BJP Workers Stage Sit-In Protest:
Following the arrest of some BJP workers, the BJP leadership started staging sit-in demonstrations outside the police station. Till the time of reporting the demonstration is continuing and according to the BJP state president the demonstration will continue till their "innocent" workers are not released by the police.
Similar incidents happened in Cooch Behar, Malda and also in Berhampore after the clashes between police and CPI (M) workers. Senior CPI (M) leader and politburo member Md. Salim questioned why the police did not allow their protest rallies.
TMC Blames BJP For Sandeshkhali Incident:
Slamming the saffron camp, TMC MLA and minister Shashi Panja said, “It was a well-planned conspiracy by the BJP to create unrest in Sandeshkhali. Yesterday, Smriti Irani made provocative comments in her presser from Delhi and today on her instructions, Sukanta Majumdar-led workers and supporters of the BJP pelted stones at the Police personnel.”
Meanwhile, a TMC delegation led by irrigation minister Partha Bhowmick visited Sandeshkhali. “The representatives from the ruling party will show how law is abided. We will not go to those areas where there is Section 144. In Mamata Banerjee's regime the women play the most important role otherwise schemes like Kanyashree, Lakshmir Bhandar would not have been made,” said Bhowmick.
