Mamata suspends internet; schools, shops remain shut
BADURIA: The government banned internet services in West Bengal’s Basirhat region as shops and schools remained shut and paramilitary forces patrolled the streets on Wednesday where communal clashes had erupted over an “objectionable” Facebook post. The flare-up has snowballed into a major political storm between the CM and the governor with Mamata Banerjee accusing Keshari Nath Tripathi of acting like a BJP block president.
The unseemly spat between the two camps continued on Wednesday with a free flow of rhetoric from ruling TMC leaders. Party secretary general Partha Chatterjee emphasised that the governor overstepped his Constitutional role .
BASIRHAT: A t least 23 people were wounded in continuing communal clashes in West Bengal’s Basirhat subdivision, where mobs were squaring up over a Hindu school student’s Facebook post that offended Muslims.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee warned the rioters of stern action after three days of violence left scores of people wounded. Mobs torched shops, houses and police vehicles in the communally sensitive area in North 24 Parganas district, about 65km from Kolkata.
Public gatherings were prohibited in the subdivision on Wednesday and internet services blocked to stop the spread of rumours through social media. For those with access to the internet, police said “tweet responsibly, not with the aim of spreading rumours; disturbing communal harmony”.
Paramilitary troopers and state policemen have taken position in village and town squares and roads. Barring the security forces, the streets were almost deserted, shops shut and schools closed. But the violence is spreading and engulfing new areas with Hindu and Muslims groups reportedly moving around with sharp weapons out of the administration’s sight. Reports said a UCO Bank office was vandalised in a fresh attack.