On Friday, November 24, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari filed a complaint against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over her alleged threat to launch counter-arrests as she said ‘If they arrest our four, we will arrest eight of their leaders’.
In his letter to the Officer in charge of Hare Street Police Station, the West Bengal Assembly leader of the opposition (LoP) alleged that ever since he changed his political allegiance and joined the BJP, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has used all its might and power to implicate him in several “vexatious, harrassive and concocted cases.”
Adhikari further mentioned CM Mamata Banerjee speech at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Thursday and wrote, “On 23.11.2023, Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee delivered a speech at the Netaji Indoor Stadium (which is falling within the jurisdiction of your Police Station) at a political programme of the Trinamool Congress wherein she has passed certain remarks to the effect that four MLAS (Member of Legislative Assembly) of her political party has been put behind bars and that she is taking a stand on behalf of her political party that if they (indicative of me and the members of my political party) keep our members behind the bars, then she will ensure that eight people are put behind bars in allegations of murder envisaged under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, being the backdated cases of murder.”
The BJP leader went on to say that as a political leader, Head of the Ministry of Home in the State of West Bengal, and Chief Minister of West Bengal when such a person [Mamata Bannerjee] delivers a speech of such provocative nature indicative of me and members of my political party criminally intimidating us with dire consequences and false charges leading to capital punishment under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The consequences of acting in such a reckless manner are far larger.
“The actions of such a nature discloses offences which are cognizable in nature and directly trying to target me and the other members propagating the same ideology. Thus, the abovementioned act and gesture punishable under sections 182/194/195A/211/203/505(II)/506 of the Indian Penal Code attracts the offences. In view of such circumstances, I request your good office to bring such perpetrators of crime to justice upon registering an FIR against the aforesaid accused persons. Kindly treat this letter of complaint for the purpose of registration of an FIR. This is for your information and immediate action. The aforementioned video speech is enclosed herewith,” the letter stated.
Taking to X, Adhikari shared his complaint emailed to the police authorities and wrote, “I have emailed my complaint to the Officer in Charge of the Hare Street Police Station, requesting him to lodge an FIR against the Chief Minister for the comment she made yesterday at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. She threatened, by taking a vow on behalf of her party to arrest eight of our (BJP) people. As the Netaji Indoor Stadium falls under the jurisdiction of Hare Street Police Station, I have emailed my complaint to the authorities of the concerned PS. I hope the Police would take appropriate action against her for intimidation and threatening to misuse Administrative Authority.”
I have emailed my complaint to the Officer in Charge of the Hare Street Police Station, requesting him to lodge an FIR against the Chief Minister for the comment she made yesterday at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) November 24, 2023
She threatened, by taking a vow on behalf of her party to arrest… pic.twitter.com/zmu9SuScon
The BJP leader further said that if the Police do not register the FIR, he will wait for 72 hours and then approach the ACJM Court requesting to take cognisance of the complaint.
This comes after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended a TMC party workers’ and leaders’ meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on 24th November. As reported earlier, the Trinamool Congress Party supremo launched an attack against the BJP in her speech. Mamata Banerjee issued threats to the Bharatiya Janata Party as she said ‘If they arrest our four, we will arrest eight of their leaders’.
Defending her party leaders who have been arrested by the central agencies in connection with various corruption cases, Mamata Banerjee said, “I don’t believe that they are thieves. Four of our MLAs have been sent to jail. They think by doing this they will be able to reduce our numbers. From here, I am making this announcement that if they arrest our four, we will arrest eight of their leaders.”
Mamata Banerjee added, “You are laughing as our party leaders Anubrata Mandal, Partha Chatterjee, Manik Bhattacharya, Jyoti Priya Mallick and others who are in jail. In the future, when you don’t have power, you’ll be in jail.”
