Police stop central minister from entering tense areas in West Bengal
BJP and Trinamool trade charges over who was responsible for communal clashes
Amid prevailing tensions in parts of Raniganj and adjoining areas in West Bengal’s Paschim Burdwan district following clashes over Ram Navami rallies, federal minister Babul Supriyo was yesterday prevented from entering the area.
Citing security reasons, police stopped the car of the federal minister of state for heavy industries and public enterprises as he tried to enter the Railpar area in the district.
“As a public representative, it is my duty to be with the people when they are in trouble and I have every right to visit my constituency. Police was saying that I would not be allowed to go as Section 144 [prohibitory orders] is imposed in the area. Being a minister, I cannot violate rules,” said Supriyo who is also the Asansol MP.
A group of people raised slogans against the minister, demanding that he leave the area.
Several shops and houses were vandalised and set ablaze over the Ram Navami related clashes in parts of the district and police have arrested 19 people for fomenting trouble.
Violence prevails
The violence which rocked Raniganj on Monday fanned out to Asansol since Tuesday night, prompting police to declare a curfew in Asansol sub-division and suspending internet services till Friday midnight. From late Tuesday night, armed men took to the treets vandalising around 20 shops, even setting some of them ablaze. RAF and combat forces descended on the now-deserted streets even as police alerted people to ignore rumours and lies.
The West Bengal government on Wednesday advised governor K.N. Tripathi not to visit injured deputy commissioner of police, who was hurt in a bomb attack after violence broke out during a Ram Navami procession in Raniganj.
The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the state government on incidents of arson and violence during the processions.
However, the Trinamool Congress government denied knowledge of any such directive from the federal government, and blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the unrest.
The BJP on its part alleged that the administration was trying to forcibly stop Ram Navami processions and lodging cases against its leaders.
“The administration is trying to forcibly stop this [processions]. Cases are being slapped against BJP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists. This is only escalating the violence. ,” said state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh.