Bengal: BJP leaders prevented by police from visiting violence-hit Maheshtala

Kolkata, Jun 12 (PTI) West Bengal BJP leaders led by state unit president Sukanta Majumdar were prevented by the police from visiting violence-hit Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday, a day after the area witnessed group clashes.

Union minister Majumdar and other leaders were stopped by police enroute to Maheshtala, following which they held a protest in Kolkata's Kalighat area near the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when they were detained and released later.

In a post on X, Majumdar said, "Just yesterday, the same @WBPolice were forced to wave white cloths in surrender before radical jihadists in Rabindranagar -- spineless, helpless, and humiliated. And today, suddenly, they appear to be warriors -- zealously following Chief Minister @MamataOfficial's orders with blind obedience, immersed in servitude!" "Today, as we moved toward Maheshtala to stand beside the attacked Hindus, the administration blocked our path citing Section 163. And when we later went to Kalighat, to the Chief Minister's residence, to question her silence and appeasement politics, her loyal @KolkataPolice pounced on us like personal slaves -- blindly defending their master. In broad daylight, our leaders and @BJP4Bengal Karyakartas were shamelessly arrested -- a naked display of administrative tyranny," Majumdar said.

He alleged that "radical fundamentalists run amok" in West Bengal and anyone who protests is crushed under the weight of the state machinery – be it Malda, Murshidabad, or Maheshtala.

The chief minister is solely focused on protecting her vote bank and the safety of Hindus does not exist on her agenda, he alleged.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, called on Governor C V Ananda Bose at Raj Bhavan to apprise him about the situation.

In an X post, Adhikari said, "The police department's failure to contain the situation stems from their reluctance to use adequate force, fearing backlash since the jihadists would have been at the receiving end." "Instead, they stood by initially as miscreants mercilessly attacked Hindus, vandalised a Shiva temple, torched bikes and vehicles, and pelted stones right under the nose of Rabindra Nagar PS. Police Officers (including Lady Police Personnel) were injured, Police vehicles were damaged, and yet, the police have the audacity to downplay this as a petty squabble over ‘illegal construction’. Shame on you. Why are you hiding the truth?" he added.

Referring to the Murshidabad violence a few months ago, he said, "Similar communal unrest left lives shattered. The flames of targeted attacks on Hindus have now reached Kolkata. Arresting 40 people is not enough when hundreds were on rampage. Where is the accountability for your failure?" the senior BJP leader said.

West Bengal Police said in an X post that 40 people have been arrested in the clash between two groups and urged leaders of different political parties to refrain from visiting the violence-hit areas.

Adhikari told reporters earlier in the day that he has started the process of approaching the Calcutta High Court for the deployment of paramilitary forces in Maheshtala area.

TMC leader and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya told reporters that the arrest of an RSS activist in connection with the Maheshtala violence showed there might be a "sinister plan to foment clashes and mistrust between two groups in the area". PTI SUS ACD