Amid high drama, Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was on Thursday arrested along with party leaders for defying prohibitory orders when they tried to enter trouble-torn Makra village in Birbhum district, made out of bounds for politicians by Trinamool government.
An incensed BJP accused the Trinamool Congress government of trying to “gag the opposition with brute force” and cover up the incidents in Makra where three persons were killed in a political clash on Monday.
Police said the BJP leaders were arrested when they tried to enter the village in violation of the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Other prominent BJP leaders arrested included its state president Rahul Sinha and party MPs Kirti Azad and Udit Raj. The MPs were part of the three-member central team led by Naqvi sent to the village by the party to look into the violence.
Naqvi and other BJP leaders were involved in a spat with the police, which stopped them, and demanded that they be allowed to visit the village.
Later they were arrested when they tried to enter the village. A scuffle ensued as the BJP workers tried to break police barricades.
Naqvi claimed that he suffered injury when the police personnel dragged him into the van.
Slamming the police action, Naqvi said, “It is a murder of democracy. The TMC government is trying to hide what happened in Makra village. It is a shame.”
“The TMC government is gagging the opposition voice using brute force,” the BJP leader said. “Instead of using its energy to stop opposition parties, if the TMC government spent 10 per cent of it towards curbing anti-national forces working in the state, it would have been great for the country and the state,” he said.
Before the departure of the BJP central team, a message sent from the state home department to the BJP office in Kolkata said that prohibitory orders were in force in the village and certain surrounding areas in Birbhum district. So they should plan their visit accordingly.
However, Naqvi continued with their visit saying he was not afraid of being arrested
Calling upon the state government to deal firmly with anti-national activities, Naqvi alleged that “Trinamool Congress government is synonymous with terrorists and mafia and they are letting the anti-national forces to use the land of Bengal for terrorist activities”.
When asked about media reports claiming that the terror module unearthed in Bengal was planning to assassinate Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, Naqvi said “these reports are not only of national concern but also have implications on diplomatic ties”.
Image: Combat personnel were deployed in Birbhum after tensions prevailed in the area. Photograph: PTI photo
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