Religious sentiments hurt: BJP on turban controversy

Dilip Ghosh was the only senior leader to lead the protest march from the party’s headquarter near Howrah Bridge.

A day after a Sikh man’s turban “fell off” during a scuffle with Kolkata police, BJP and SAD leaders on Friday attacked the Mamata Banerjee government for hurting religious sentiments while cricketer Harbhajan Singh, demanded strict action against the guilty.

The man, Balwinder Singh (46), is a private security guard of BJP leader Priyanshu Pandey and was arrested for allegedly carrying a loaded gun during a BJP rally to Nabanna on Thursday. Pandey has also been arrested. Police said Balwinder, a resident of Punjab’s Bhatinda, is also an aide of BJP’s Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh.

In a video gone viral on social media, Balwinder is seen being lathicharged and dragged by police. In the melee, his turban was “removed”, said BJP leaders. However, West Bengal Police tweeted that the turban “fell off during a scuffle”.

Harbhajan tweeted, “Pulling the turban of Balwinder Singh posted in Priyanshu Pandey’s security… shows Bengal Police’s barbarity. @MamataOfficial, take strict action against the guilty policemen….”

SAD spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa demanded that the guilty policemen be booked under the IPC section 295A (acts intended to outrage religious).

BJP national secretary Arvind Menon said that the incident had “insulted the Sikh community.”

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the security guard was carrying a “licensed gun”.

Police said the gun licence was limited to only Rajouri district in J&K.

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