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Birbhum violence: Mamata intimidating CBI team, says Cong’s Adhir Ranjan
At least nine people died after their houses were set afire at a village in Burbhum’s Rampurhat area last week, following the murder of Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat leader Bhadu Sheikh.
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday accused West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of intimidating the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that is probing the Birbhum violence case.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Chowdhury said his party had also demanded a CBI probe into the case. “Mamata Banerjee is intimidating the CBI team,” he said.
The Lok Sabha MP from Berhampore said if a chief minister warned of protests if the CBI failed to conduct an impartial probe, it was clear that efforts were being made to create obstruction in the investigation.
At least nine people died after their houses were set afire at a village in Burbhum’s Rampurhat area last week, following the murder of Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat leader Bhadu Sheikh.
On Sunday, Banerjee said the CBI should not follow the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) mandate in the ongoing investigation and warned of protests if the central agency failed to do so.
"I still think that there is a conspiracy behind the Rampurhat incident. It's good that the CBI took charge, but if they only follow the BJP's direction, we are ready to protest," the chief minister said.
Last week, the Calcutta high court had ordered a CBI probe into the arson and asked the central agency to submit a report by April 7.
Banerjee and her government were facing a major flak from the Opposition over the Birbhum killings amid demands for her resignation.
So far, More than 20 people have been arrested in the case and TMC Rampurhat-1 block president Anarul Hossain has been named as the main accused. Hossain has been remanded in 14-day police custody.
Earlier in the day, MLAs of the TMC and the BJP exchanged blows in the assembly as the saffron party demanded a statement by the CM over the worsening law and order in the state, following which by Opposition legislators were suspended.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said several party legislators were beaten up by TMC MLAs inside the Assembly. "MLAs are not safe even inside the Assembly... At least 8-10 of our legislators were beaten up, including Chief Whip Manoj Tigga, by some TMC MLAs, as we demanded that the CM make a statement in the House on the law and order issue," Adhikari said.
The TMC said the BJP MLAs were behaving indecently inside the House. "Few of our MLAs were injured inside the House. We condemn the conduct of the BJP," TMC leader and Bengal minister Firhad Hakim said.
