West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday directly targeted the top leadership of the BJP, alleging that the party orchestrated unrest in Bhawanipore during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s roadshow and nomination filing of Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Addressing an election rally in Jiaganj, Murshidabad, Mamata described the incident as a “planned attack,” claiming that outsiders were brought into the area under the pretext of filing nominations. The unrest had erupted during a roadshow attended by Shah.
Referring to the developments in Bhawanipur, where she is contesting against Adhikari, the Chief Minister said, “An attack was launched right in front of my residence. They spat on my posters and made derogatory gestures near the Ma Kali temple. They even targeted Abhishek Banerjee’s residence.” She asserted that local residents had protested against what she termed “uncouth behaviour,” adding, “This is not politics. Outsiders were brought in only to file nominations.”
Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has taken strong administrative action in connection with the incident. Following reported reprimand from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Commission has ordered the suspension of four police officers for alleged failure to maintain law and order. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against them.
Earlier, show-cause notices were issued to senior officers of Kolkata Police, including DC-II (South) Siddharth Dutta and DC-II (Reserve Force) Manas Roy, on charges of dereliction of duty.
Police headquarters at Lalbazar is currently analysing CCTV footage to identify those involved in the violence. According to sources, around 38 individuals have been identified so far, and the process of issuing notices has begun.
The clash took place last Thursday on Harish Mukherjee Road during a roadshow by Suvendu Adhikari, which passed through key areas from Hazra Crossing to the Survey Building. The situation escalated after TMC staged protests, leading to a confrontation between workers of the ruling party and the BJP.
Political observers say the Commission’s decision to suspend four officers reflects its stern stance on maintaining law and order, particularly in a high-profile constituency like Bhabanipur where Mamata and Adhikari are contesting. At the same time, analysts believe Mamata’s remarks framing the incident as the “rampage of outsiders” could influence local sentiment in the run-up to the elections.
Also read: If you want me to protect you, vote for TMC: Mamata at Farakka
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