BJP supporters clashed with the police at a protest in Bengal on Thursday.
Visuals of the police forcibly arresting a Sikh man during the BJP's mega protest in Kolkata on Thursday have set off a major controversy with the party accusing the cops of hurting religious sentiments by pulling off the turban of 43-year-old Balwinder Singh, a resident of Bhatinda, during a clash at Howrah maidan. The police, however, said the turban accidentally came off during the dustup and showed how they ensured he had it back on before being arrested with a gun.
But the controversy gathered so much momentum on social media on Friday that even cricketer Harbhajan Singh has tweeted, tagging Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to say, "Please look into the matter. This just isn't done."
A 9 mm pistol was seized from Mr Singh. After his arrest, he provided a gun license, valid till January next year. The license holder is apparently a former soldier of the Indian Army, with the Rashtriya Rifles battalion.
The Howrah Police has said there was no intention to pull off his turban. But videos of his clash with the police went viral on Friday - which show his turban pulled off and the police beating him even as he falls to the ground - have provoked a row.
The concerned person was carrying firearms in yesterday's protest. The Pagri had fallen off automatically in the scuffle that ensued,without any attempt to do so by our officer (visible in the video attached). It is never our intention to hurt the sentiments of any community(1/2) pic.twitter.com/aE8UgN36W5
— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) October 9, 2020
West Bengal Police respects all religions. The officer specifically asked him to put his Pagri back before the arrest. The attached photo has been clicked right before he was escorted to the Police Station. We remain committed to our duty to uphold law and order in the state(2/2) pic.twitter.com/BnTWztfDGW
— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) October 9, 2020
However, not just BJP leaders but even a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal urged Mamata Banerjee to take action against the police personnel involved in the incident.
Plz have a look into this matter @MamataOfficial this isn't done ???????? https://t.co/mKrbQhn1qy
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 9, 2020
कलकत्ता में सेक्युरिटी ऑफिसर बलविंदर सिंह की पगड़ी खींचकर, सड़क पर घसीट कर बर्बर तरीके से पीटा जाना बेहद शर्मनाक और निंदनीय है@MamataOfficial जी से हमारी माँग- दोषी पुलिसवालों के खिलाफ 295A मुकदमा का दर्ज किया जाये और सख़्त सजा दी जाये@ANi@TimesNow@republic@ABPNewspic.twitter.com/BKWkS7Hcyv
— #Istandwithfarmers Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) October 9, 2020
Yeh tasweer dekhke mai stabdh hoon !! Agar yeh kiya hai Bengal police ne (Sab kehe rehe hain ke yeh sach hai) toh unki exemplary saaza honi chahiye aur @TajinderBagga Bhai, mai aapse yeh kahunga ke iss ghatna ko lekar aap Court jaiye #FaltuDidirPaltuPolice#BanglarLojjaMamatahttps://t.co/YBQDT1TSxr
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) October 9, 2020
सरदार बलविंदर सिंह जी की पगड़ी खींच कर बंगाल पुलिस ने देश के सभी सिखों का अपमान किया है, आज ऐसा प्रतीत होता है कि बंगाल में पुनः मुग़लों का शासन स्थापित हो गया है।
— Arvind Menon (@MenonArvindBJP) October 9, 2020
क्या बंगाल में एक समुदाय विशेष को छोड़ कर बाकी किसी की भी धार्मिक भावनाओं का सम्मान नही रहा? pic.twitter.com/uYjCl7G6ze
Hundreds of BJP protesters clashed with the police outside the Bengal government secretariat "Nabanna" on Thursday, throwing to the winds safety measures for COVID-19, including social distancing. Visuals from the spot showed police dressed in riot gear trying to disperse the crowd with tear gas and water cannons as stones were thrown from the other side.
The BJP held the "Nabanna Chalo" (Let's go to Nabanna) protest defying the government's orders banning large gatherings. New BJP youth wing chief Tejasvi Surya flew down to the city to take part in the protest, which was seen as the party's show of strength in the state capital Kolkata.
Post-noon, the BJP had held three marches all of which were making their way towards the state secretariat. The biggest of them, from maidan, was led by Tejasvi Surya. The protesters were stopped midway, prompting angry BJP supporters to attack the police with stones. When they tried to pull down the barricades, the police responded with teargas shells.
