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BJP workers brought bombs, guns, says Mamata Banerjee on Kolkata violence
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said many police personnel were brutally attacked by the violent BJP protesters but the administration showed maximum restraint
KOLKATA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers who clashed with the police in Kolkata and Howrah during an agitation on Tuesday were armed with bombs and guns, chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged on Wednesday.
About 20 people have been arrested for assaulting policemen and setting a police vehicle on fire during the BJP’s march to Nabanna, the state secretariat, in protest against corruption during the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime.
“The police could have opened fire if it wanted to but it is not desirable. They tried their best control the situation… We never stop democratic movements. All people have the right to hold democratic movements but hooliganism cannot be a part of it. Police will take action against those involved in the attacks and arson,” Banerjee said at an administrative meeting in East Midnapore district.
“People were brought in trains from Bihar and other places to create trouble,” Banerjee added.
The BJP leadership denied the allegations even as the social media was flooded with photos and videos of policemen being assaulted.
“Trinamool Congress (TMC) planned the violence and its workers were planted to carry out the attacks. Our men were not involved. We are fully sympathetic toward the injured police officers who are in hospital. I called up one of them,” said Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar.
In Delhi, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the attacks were carried out to divert people’s attention from cracks in the TMC.
“Are we to understand that this was done to divert attention from the differences developing between two leaders in the TMC? I do not want to take names,” Prasad said, indirectly hinting at Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek, the TMC’s national general secretary.
“If peaceful democratic movements are crushed in this manner, then we have to take steps according to the Constitution,” Prasad added.
Police used batons, water cannons, tear gas shells and stun grenades at several locations on Tuesday to disperse BJP workers who were found pelting stones and glass bottles, leaving many men in uniform bleeding. The clashes took place mainly at Santragachhi in Howrah and Mahatma Gandhi Road, Burrabazar and Brabourne Road in Kolkata.
BJP works fought pitched battles with the police for several hours at several locations after they were stopped from moving towards the secretariat.
Police said 27 personnel including officers were injured in the violence.
Abhishek Banerjee visited the SSKM hospital on Wednesday afternoon to see Debjit Chatterjee, an assistant commissioner of Kolkata Police who suffered multiple fractures in his right arm when he was assaulted with sticks while trying to run away from a mob. The incident was caught on camera.
“I hailed the officer for the restraint he showed. I asked him why he did not open fire. Had I been there in his place, I would have shot the culprits in the head,” Abhishek Banerjee said.
BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar took a swipe at him for the statement.
“It seems Abhishek Banerjee asked the police to become trigger happy from now on. We are ready for any eventuality,” Majumdar said.
Inspector-in-charge of Howrah’s Jagachha police station, Satinath Chattaraj, suffered injury in his right eye during stone pelting by BJP workers. He is also in hospital.
Mamata Banerjee told officials at the East Midnapore meeting that she called up Chattaraj to inquire about his condition.
A third officer in hospital is Sarafraz Ahmed, the additional officer-in-charge of Kolkata’s Jorabagan police station.
Senior BJP leader Meena Devi Purohit also suffered head injuries on Tuesday. Cabinet minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim visited her at the hospital.
