State BJP chief held for ‘defying’ govt order

Earlier in the day, the police stopped Majumdar at his residence in New Town from going to Howrah, citing that his visit could adversely impact the law and order situation in the district. However, he tried to leave when the police once again restrained him and BJP workers entered into a scuffle with the police.

On his third attempt to visit Howrah, Majumdar was stopped at Vidyasagar Setu Toll Plaza and was arrested. On Saturday morning, the state government had imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in various places of Howrah in view of the violence that erupted over the past two days. According to the police, by attempting to visit the area, Majumdar has violated the government order. He was taken to Lalbazar Central Lock Up of the Kolkata Police. Soon after, BJP workers staged a protest outside Lalbazar to demand his release.

“Majumdar was trying to travel to Howrah where prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed. His visit could have created a law and order situation. This is a preventive arrest,” said a senior police officer.
Before being taken into custody, Majumdar told mediapersons, “First, they stopped me at my home. I was put under house arrest. Later, they allowed me to leave my residence. Now, they have stopped me again on Vidyasagar Setu and arrested me. The police are saying that as prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed, no one will be allowed to visit the area. We used to read reports about leaders in Kashmir being put under house arrest. Today, a similar thing happened here (in Kolkata, West Bengal). The state is fast turning into Kashmir.”
In the evening, Majumdar was released from Lalbazar Central lock-up.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal was also stopped by the police from visiting the violence-hit areas in Howrah. She was stopped first at Vidyasagar Setu and then later near Panchla area of Howrah district.

Following Majumdar’s arrest, BJP leaders and workers took to the streets in protest. Similar protests were also held in Uttar Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Birbhum and Jalpaiguri districts.

BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, along with a large number of party workers reached Lalbazar, headquarters of the Kolkata Police, to protest against Majumdar’s arrest. Paul claimed that the law and order situation has completely fallen in the state and urged for the deployment of army and paramilitary forces.

Condemning Majumdar’s arrest, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari tweeted, “I condemn the manner in which @BJP4Bengal President; MP Sri @DrSukantaBJP & Party Secretary; eminent Lawyer Smt @impriyankabjp have been obstructed by WB Administration. It’s proof that they’re hiding the truth. I am on the way to Balarampur; Purulia, to address a public meeting.”

He added, “I will visit the charred BJP Howrah Rural Party Office tomorrow. I assure our Karyakartas that, our Party Office is like a Temple to us, it would be rebuilt from the ashes. Look at history, foreign invaders razed our Temples to ground but today the saffron flags wave atop.”

BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh, however, managed to enter Howrah and visit the areas where offices of his party were attacked. “The lawless situation here reflects the administration’s failure. Instead of taking action against the perpetrators of violence, the police are stopping BJP leaders from visiting the violence-hit areas,” said Ghosh.

The ruling Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, blamed BJP leaders for trying to disturb the law and order
situation.

“Under the present circumstances, BJP leaders, including Sukanta Majumdar, should not take any step that would jeopardise the law and order situation in the state and vitiate the peace. The administration has understood this and stopped them from visiting the violence-hit areas,” said TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee.