Published 11:51 IST, January 8th 2021
Ahead of JP Nadda's visit to Bengal, BJP recalls attack on his convoy, warns Mamata's TMC
Almost a month after his convoy came under attack, BJP national president JP Nadda will be visiting West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district on January 9
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Almost a month after his convoy came under attack, BJP national president JP Nadda will be visiting West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district on January 9. This time he is on a daylong-visit and sources said that he will be launching a campaign aimed at wooing farmers, amid the ongoing protest over the contentious agriculture laws. As the BJP chief is all set to visit the state, the Bengal BJP unit has dared CM Mamata Banerjee and the TMC, stating that violence in the state wouldn't stop the saffron party. In a video, the Bengal unit has added visuals of the attack of Nadda's convoy and added a previous statement of Prime Minister Modi wherein he said, "Jitna kichad uchaloge, kamal utna khilega." (If you spill dirt upon us, we will grow lotus there), in a reference to BJP poll symbol lotus.
The top BJP leader will also hold a rally at Katwa and a roadshow at Bardhaman town, which would be followed by a press conference, sources in the saffron camp said. Nadda will float 'Ek Muthi Chawal' (a fistful of rice), a project under which he will collect rice from farmers' homes and brief them about the benefits of the new legislations.
BJP convoy attacked in West Bengal
Alleged TMC supporters threw stones and bricks at the BJP chief's convoy when he was on the way to Diamond Harbour to address a meeting of party workers. While Nadda claimed he escaped unhurt as he was travelling in a bulletproof car, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya's car was ransacked, resulting in him getting injured. Other party leaders including state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, national joint general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash and secretary Anupam Hazra too received injuries.
Incidentally, the WB CM's nephew Abhishek Banerjee represents the Diamond Harbour constituency in the Lok Sabha. Speaking to the media, Ghosh stated, "When we were on our way to Diamond Harbour, TMC supporters blocked the road and pelted Naddaji's vehicle and other cars in the convoy with stones. This only shows the true colour of the TMC" Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled BJP National Presiden and party’s West Bengal unit chief Vijayvargiya after their convoy was attacked.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal police arrested 7 persons from the South 24 Parganas district in connection with the attack on the convoy. All of them have been reportedly charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for rioting, obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions and other offences. However, BJP dismissed the arrests as 'eyewash.'
MHA summons state secy & DGP
After the attack, the MHA summoned Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay and DGP Virendra to come to Delhi for a meeting on Bengal's law and order situation. The officers first refused to answer the summons and then responded seeking a virtual meeting rather than in-person presence. The MHA had also summoned the three officers - Rajeev Mishra (ADG, South Bengal); Bhola Nath Pandey (SP, Diamond Harbour) and Praveen Kumar Tripathi (DIG, Presidency Range) over lapses in security arrangement to BJP chief.
The ruling Trinamool government maintained that 'Under Article 312 of Constitution, the Centre may ask for names of officers to be sent on deputation, then it is upto the state to release them or not'. Moreover, escalating the fight with the Centre, the Mamata Banerjee government has moved the Supreme Court on Friday over the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)'s summons to three IPS officers belonging to the state cadre, on central deputation.
11:29 IST, January 8th 2021