TMC to observe Black Day in WB today, tomorrow

In an apparent bid to carry the political consequences of Assam NRC imbroglio and raise the decibel of protest against the Thursday’s alleged “manhandling” of Trinamool Congress MPs at Silchar Airport to far-reaching corners of Bengal the party has decided to observe Black Days through out the State on August 4 and 5.

Condemning the “inhuman, uncivilized” and “undemocratic” acts of the BJP-ruled Assam administration Bengal Minister and TMC general secretary Partho Chatterjee said his party, “condemns the way the people’s representatives were manhandled and detained by the Assam Police at the Silchar Airport.”

The TMC leaders being people’s representatives and Members of Parliament were well within their rights to visit the area to assess the situation that had emerged out of “unethically, illegally and undemocratically,” striking out the names of 40 lakh Indian citizens including the Bengalis from the National Register of Citizens, he said.

However the BJP Government of Assam “violated all the rules and not only stopped out delegates including MPs, a Minister and MLAs but also manhandled them. This shameful act should be condemned in strongest possible words,” Chatterjee said.

“Our party will observe a Black Day on August 4 and 5 in every part of Bengal, in every block of the State,” Chatterjee said. Another senior party leader said the TMC would carry the news to every nook and corner of the State to show people how BJP was acting against the interest of Bengali-speaking people and yet aspiring to come to power in the State. Party MP Dr Kakoli Ghoshdastidar who was also a part of the delegation wondered, “what security does a common citizen have where even people’s representatives and Members of Parliament are not spared. Yesterday’s incident at Silchar Airport has made it clear that democracy is threatened in India.”

Senior State Minister Firhad Hakim who was also the part of the delegation that visited Assam on Thursday said “the BJP will not be able to suppress the voice of the people. We will continue to fight under the leadership of our leader Mamata Banerjee.”

Insiders said the party would intensify stir against the BJP for which purpose the MPs and other senior leaders who were currently in Delhi had been called back to Kolkata where a strategy meeting would be held to decide on the future course of action.