Image Courtesy:indiatoday.in
West Bengal Police have filed three FIRs in connection with the December 10 attack on a convoy of cars carrying Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to an event venue in Diamond Harbour. Seven people have also been arrested in connection with the incident of stone pelting.
Speaking to media persons at a press conference, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament (MP) Kalyan Banerjee said, “Adequate security was provided to the BJP president JP Nadda including a bullet proof vehicle. So far, the police have arrested seven persons and two FIRs were lodged at Usthi and Falta Police stations. A separate FIR was also lodged against Rakesh Singh for his role in vandalism.”
Two of the FIRs were registered suo moto by the police against unidentified persons for stone pelting. However, the third FIR was filed against BJP leader Rakesh Singh for allegedly provoking people in Shirakol. A video showing Singh travelling standing while sticking out of his car has emerged. Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters insist this video is evidence that Singh tried to incite violence.
Speaking about Rakesh Singh, Kalyan Banerjee said, “He was making offensive hand gestures.”
Rakesh Singh is a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Jabalpur. The 49-year-old was also allegedly named in the Vidyasagar statue desecration in 2019. He was also named by the CMRI Hospital in an alleged case of extortion in 2017.
Singh was a part of the convoy that comprised several party heavyweights such as BJP national president JP Nadda, national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, former Mamata Banerjee confidant Mukul Roy and Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh. Singh’s SUV was right in front, just behind approximately 40 motorcycles that led the parade.
Meanwhile, WB Governor Jagdeep Dhankar submitted a report on the incident to the Center on Friday. Given how Assembly elections are due in Bengal next year, and how much BJP wants to oust current Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP top brass has made the attack on the convoy a priority.
Shortly after the attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had tweeted (in Hindi), “The attack on BJP national president JP Nadda in Bengal today, is condemnable. Central government is taking the matter very seriously. The Bengal government will have to answer to the peace-loving citizens of India for this sponsored violence.”
आज बंगाल में भाजपा के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री @JPNadda जी के ऊपर हुआ हमला बहुत ही निंदनीय है, उसकी जितनी भी निंदा की जाये वो कम है।
केंद्र सरकार इस हमले को पूरी गंभीरता से ले रही है। बंगाल सरकार को इस प्रायोजित हिंसा के लिए प्रदेश की शांतिप्रिय जनता को जवाब देना होगा।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 10, 2020
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