Roopa Ganguly among locals in Asansol. (Photo: Subham Dutta)
A team of BJP MPs visited Asansol Sunday, defying prohibitory orders under section 144 to meet Hindu victims of communal clashes and attack the Trinamool Congress government, CM Mamata Banerjee, and police.
MPs Shahnawaz Hussain, Roopa Ganguly, Om Mathur and V D Ram, along with Bengal BJP state secretary Sayantan Basu, spent over three hours touring parts of Asansol.
“While Asansol was burning, Mamata Banerjee was spending time with Soniaji [Gandhi] and [Sharad] Pawarji in Delhi,” said Hussain. “In Bihar there was tension for one hour… The situation was brought under control. Nitish Kumar kept a watch on the situation round the clock but Mamataji was busy watching politicians in Delhi.”
Asked about violating section 144, Hussain said, “Why can’t we visit a part of India where people are in pain?”
Read | Why Asansol is still on edge: Hindus terrified to return home, Muslims scared to step out
The delegation was stopped at Bansra crossing with officials reminding the MPs about section 144, followed by another reminder by police near the entry to Asansol. It moved ahead, and visited a refugee camp run by locals at New Colony near Asansol. The visitors were given a list of those sheltered there, including women and children.
The delegation went to Ram Krishna Dangalpara where locals showed them charred, ransacked houses. All were Hindu-dominated areas. Hussain assured them their plight would be highlighted in Delhi.
Gutted house and articals at Ramkrishna Dangalpara due to Ramnabami rally clash on Tuesday. (Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)
Ganguly spent time with women at Ram Krishna Dangalpara. She told journalists: “Law and order has collapsed. The state government is not extending any help or protection to the Hindu population. The administration and police are targeting one community.”
Asked if a case will be lodged against the delegation, Asansol-Durgapur police commissioner L N Meena said, “ The law will take its own course.”
In Kolkata, the Trinamool hit out at the visit. “The BJP is scared of Mamata Banerjee. She is the face of anti-BJP forces in the country and therefore she and her government are being targeted. The BJP is upset that she foiled the attempts of those who wanted to create riots,” Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee said. “After coming here as a central government delegation, they are saying that they will submit their report to their party’s national president,” he alleged.