NEW DELHI: While Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) workers organised protests against yesterday's stone-pelting attack on the convoy of BJP party president JP Nadda in Kolkata, party leaders raised criticism against the law and order situation in West Bengal even as they alleged chief minister Mamata Bannerjee of undermining democracy.
"The manner in which the BJP national president's convoy was attacked yesterday is highly reprehensible. The ministry of home affairs has called for the report but the West Bengal government is creating such an environment, it is not a democracy. Why are the other opposition parties silent now?" said Union minister and party leader Prakash Javadekar.
The Union ministry of home affairs on Friday summoned the state Director General of Police (DGP) and chief secretary on the prevailing law and order situation in the state.
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "The chief minister has to follow the Constitution. She cannot depart for its paths. The law and order situation in the state has been continuously worsening for long."
This comes a day after BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda's convoy was attacked and several party leaders including Kailash Vijayvargiya were injured when protesters pelted stones at their vehicles at Diamond Harbour.
Debashree Chaudhuri, MoS, woman & child development, said that the chief minister needs to be careful of what she says about the Prime Minister.
"Mamata Banerjee needs to choose her words carefully. Are the Home Minister & Prime Minister of India outsiders? West Bengal is not her private paternal estate but a part of our country," she said.
BJP leader Narottam Mishra said that the party workers could not find a hotel because they feared police inspections.
"The attack on BJP president and the general secretary is shameful. Mamata di sees us as outsiders but infiltrators from Pakistan and Bangladesh as her own people. We weren't even getting a hotel in West Bengal because they feared police inspections, by lodging us," said Mishra.
In Mumbai, BJP workers marched towards the Governor House in order to hand over a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Koshyari, to take action against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in connection with yesterday's attack.
Members of "Bengali Citizens of India" also joined this protest with BJP workers.
The party workers were seen burning West Bengal Chief Minister's effigy, rubbing black ink on her posters while raising slogans against the West Bengal Government.
"The public system is being strangled in broad daylight in West Bengal. We will go to Raj Bhavan today and urge the Governor to take our matter to the President and bring Presidential rule in West Bengal," said Ram Kadam, BJP MLA and spokesperson.
(With inputs from agencies)