On Tuesday (21st May) afternoon, a large team of West Bengal police conducted raids at the rented house of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in Kolaghat in Purba Medinipur district.
The development comes ahead of the 6th phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Reportedly, a team of 70 cops landed at his residence under the pretext of finding an ‘absconding criminal’. They also conducted searches at his home.
On learning about the matter, a furious Suvendu Adhikari left his election campaign rally and went to the Kolaghat thana to object to the police’s high-handedness.
Around 70-80 police raided the rented house of WB LoP @SuvenduWB da at Kolaghat, despite restrictions provided by Hon'ble High Court. There weren't any search warrant, no videographer nor any @ECISVEEP official. (Please note, all of this occurred during Suvendu Adhikary's… pic.twitter.com/R8bsoVndIh
— Keya Ghosh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@keyakahe) May 21, 2024
While speaking to the media, he vowed to move the Calcutta High Court against the raid conducted by the cops at the behest of the ruling Trinamool Congress government.
Adhikari added that the judiciary has granted him protection against any action by the police. He also hit out at TMC MLA Abhishek Banerjee and party supremo Mamata Banerjee.
“Who will be responsible if the police plant some weapons at my home in my absence? The Election Commission must act such frivolous step by the police. I want to know why the raid was done and at the behest of whom. It is clear chief minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to victimise me,” he emphasised.
SHAME MAMATA BANERJEE SHAME.
— Suvendu Adhikari (Modi Ka Parivar) (@SuvenduWB) May 21, 2024
You can't take me on politically that's why you have resorted to such cheap tricks.
In a gross violation of Hon'ble Calcutta High Court's Order; that specifically prohibited Police Authorities from undertaking Raiding activity at my premises without… pic.twitter.com/5BGXpIuVQu
Adhikari recounted, “I was told the cops, the circle inspector Tamluk Champak Ranjan Chowdhury and officer-in-charge of Kolaghat police station Saurabh Sinha had entered the bedroom. I spoke with Sinha on the phone and asked if they had taken permission from the Calcutta High Court to raid my premises?”
“How can they search my room in my absence, without videography, without the presence of the media? What if they had planted fake currency notes, arms or drugs? Who would be responsible for that? I told them they could carry out their search only with a valid permission from the court and either in my presence or someone authorized by me,” he inquired.
Suvendu Adhikari assured to take action against Mamata Banerjee and the police. “Which state are we living in? Mamata Banerjee is deliberately targeting me and my family members. I am being victimized…I will complain to the Election Commission. I demand the EC suspend the Circle Inspector and the Officer-in-charge.”
Violence against BJP in Bengal
Earlier this month, goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party attacked the convoy of BJP MP Dilip Ghosh. As per reports, TMC goons pelted stones at his vehicle and also raised slogans against him.
The incident took place when Dilip Ghosh reached Rajganj bazar in Bardhaman to meet BJP workers who had received death threats from local TMC goons. It also came to light that BJP’s polling agent was beaten and not allowed entry into the booth by TMC workers.
When BJP MP Dilip Ghosh reached the spot, the TMC goons raised slogans of ‘Joy Bangla’ – a political slogan employed by Mamata Banerjee and her party to counter chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ during political events.
On 24th March, a mob of Trinamool Congress goons attacked several BJP workers in Mather Dighi village in Canning subdivision in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The dead body of a BJP worker, with his hands tied, was discovered in a paddy field near his residence on 23rd March morning. The incident took place in Pingla village in Kharagpur subdivision in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. The deceased was identified as Shantanu Ghorai.
His father has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party of orchestrating the murder. While speaking about the matter to ABP Ananda, Shantanu’s father Chittaranjan remarked, “They were angry at him. He used to speak the truth openly. He had to give his life for being involved with the BJP.
He added that the TMC had previously intimidated Shantanu for speaking against TMC and supporting the BJP. The victim’s father continued, “They used to threaten the boy if they ran into him in the market or neighbourhood. They used to warn him about breaking his bones and killing him alive.”
OpIndia has earlier reported about 5 incidents of attacks on BJP workers, mostly by goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress party.
