As violent protests continued in West Bengal for the third day over objectionable remarks against Prophet Mohammad, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was arrested on Saturday when he was on his way to Howrah district.
The police tried to stop the BJP leader from going to Howrah, where violence has been taking place since Thursday, but he remained adamant. The BJP leader’s convoy was stopped near the toll plaza on Vivekananda Setu and he was arrested. He was taken to Lalbazar Police Headquarters in a police vehicle.
Earlier in the day, a scuffle broke out between BJP supporters and the West Bengal Police as they stopped the state BJP president from leaving his residence in Kolkata’s New Town area. Mr Majumdar had said that the police were trying to put him under house arrest. Soon after the arrest, BJP supporters led by MLAs Agnimitra Paul and Priyanka Tibrewal gathered outside the Lalbazar police headquarters. Mr Majumdar was released along with his supporters later in the day. According to Kolkata Police, several BJP supporters were detained as a preventive arrest and later released.
Meanwhile, fresh violence broke out in Howrah’s Panchala, where the protesters clashed with the police. Several shops, houses, including an ATM, were set on fire in Panchala on Saturday. Violence was also reported from Rezinagar in the state’s Murshidabad district, where mobs pelted stones and torched some establishments in the evening.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that there was an attempt by some political parties to incite riots. Violent incidents are taking place in Howrah for the last two days. There are some political parties behind this and they want to incite riots; But this will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against all of them. BJP will commit sin, people will suffer? Ms Banerjee said on Twitter. The Chief Minister had appealed for calm on Thursday and demanded the arrest of the suspended BJP spokespersons. He also told the agitators that there was no reason to protest in West Bengal.
police officers transferred
On Saturday, Howrah City Police Commissioner C Sudhakar and Howrah Rural Superintendent of Police Soumya Roy were removed. Praveen Tripathi will be the new Police Commissioner of Howrah and Swati Bhangalia will be the SP of Howrah Rural Police. Internet services remained suspended and prohibitory orders were imposed in large parts of West Bengal’s Howrah district on Saturday after two days of violent protests against remarks made by BJP spokespersons on Prophet Muhammad. The state government had also suspended internet services in Rezinagar and Beldanga areas of Murshidabad district, which also saw violence, till June 14.
Appeal to the police not to fall into rumors
Violence was reported in parts of Uluberia sub-division in Howrah on June 9 and 10, with road and railway blockades for hours. Several vehicles and motorbikes, including those of the police, were attacked and set ablaze. Minister of State and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim said that no one has forgiven what happened in Howrah on Friday, but BJP leaders Sukanta Majumdar and Suvendu Adhikari should stop instigating people. “This will further aggravate the situation,” the TMC leader said.
The West Bengal Police, through its social media handle, also urged people to “not spread or spread fake news that incites any violence”. “Let’s unite against hate! We urge citizens across the state not to spread or spread fake news that incites any violence. Please report them to WBP. Currently, Section 144 has been imposed in the city and internet services have been suspended till 6 am on Monday.
Later in the evening a BJP delegation met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. Mr . Dhankhar had been vocal about the situation and told on Saturday that there has been a “horrific failure of the administration which did not take any preventive and precautionary measures” since June 9.
Protest against Prophet’s remarks | West Bengal BJP President Sukant Majumdar arrested while on his way to Howrah
As violent protests continued in West Bengal for the third day over objectionable remarks against Prophet Mohammad, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was arrested on Saturday when he was on his way to Howrah district.
The police tried to stop the BJP leader from going to Howrah, where violence has been taking place since Thursday, but he remained adamant. The BJP leader’s convoy was stopped near the toll plaza on Vivekananda Setu and he was arrested. He was taken to Lalbazar Police Headquarters in a police vehicle.
Earlier in the day, a scuffle broke out between BJP supporters and the West Bengal Police as they stopped the state BJP president from leaving his residence in Kolkata’s New Town area. Mr Majumdar had said that the police were trying to put him under house arrest. Soon after the arrest, BJP supporters led by MLAs Agnimitra Paul and Priyanka Tibrewal gathered outside the Lalbazar police headquarters. Mr Majumdar was released along with his supporters later in the day. According to Kolkata Police, several BJP supporters were detained as a preventive arrest and later released.
Meanwhile, fresh violence broke out in Howrah’s Panchala, where the protesters clashed with the police. Several shops, houses, including an ATM, were set on fire in Panchala on Saturday. Violence was also reported from Rezinagar in the state’s Murshidabad district, where mobs pelted stones and torched some establishments in the evening.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that there was an attempt by some political parties to incite riots. Violent incidents are taking place in Howrah for the last two days. There are some political parties behind this and they want to incite riots; But this will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against all of them. BJP will commit sin, people will suffer? Ms Banerjee said on Twitter. The Chief Minister had appealed for calm on Thursday and demanded the arrest of the suspended BJP spokespersons. He also told the agitators that there was no reason to protest in West Bengal.
police officers transferred
On Saturday, Howrah City Police Commissioner C Sudhakar and Howrah Rural Superintendent of Police Soumya Roy were removed. Praveen Tripathi will be the new Police Commissioner of Howrah and Swati Bhangalia will be the SP of Howrah Rural Police. Internet services remained suspended and prohibitory orders were imposed in large parts of West Bengal’s Howrah district on Saturday after two days of violent protests against remarks made by BJP spokespersons on Prophet Muhammad. The state government had also suspended internet services in Rezinagar and Beldanga areas of Murshidabad district, which also saw violence, till June 14.
Appeal to the police not to fall into rumors
Violence was reported in parts of Uluberia sub-division in Howrah on June 9 and 10, with road and railway blockades for hours. Several vehicles and motorbikes, including those of the police, were attacked and set ablaze. Minister of State and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim said that no one has forgiven what happened in Howrah on Friday, but BJP leaders Sukanta Majumdar and Suvendu Adhikari should stop instigating people. “This will further aggravate the situation,” the TMC leader said.
The West Bengal Police, through its social media handle, also urged people to “not spread or spread fake news that incites any violence”. “Let’s unite against hate! We urge citizens across the state not to spread or spread fake news that incites any violence. Please report them to WBP. Currently, Section 144 has been imposed in the city and internet services have been suspended till 6 am on Monday.
Later in the evening a BJP delegation met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. Mr . Dhankhar had been vocal about the situation and told on Saturday that there has been a “horrific failure of the administration which did not take any preventive and precautionary measures” since June 9.