Communal clash breaks out in Kolkata; BJP seeks Centre’s intervention – Hindustan Times

Communal tension was sparked in south-west Kolkata after a clash broke out between two communities at Mominpur near Shyama Parasad Mukherjee Port, police said on Monday.

The clash broke out when the celebrations of the Eid Milad-un-Nabi, which marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed, were going on late on Saturday. It, however, flared up on Sunday when the Lakshmi Puja was being celebrated.

Several persons were injured, vehicles were damaged, houses were ransacked and some shops were torched. A mob also ransacked the Ekbalpore police station on Sunday. Police had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Section 144 of the CrPc has been imposed in Ekbalpore area for three days till September 12.

“At least 38 persons were arrested. Raids are still going on and large police contingents including RAF personnel have been deployed to bring situations under control. Section 144 of the CrPc has been imposed in the area. Some persons, including two senior police officers, have been injured in the clash,” said a senior police officer.

Following the violence, Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, sent letters to the Union home minister Amit Shah and West Bengal governor La Ganeshan on Monday seeking deployment of central forces in the riot-hit areas.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Swapan Dasgupta sent another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to draw his attention.

“I urge you to kindly intervene at this hour and deploy central forces so that the spark can be extinguished before it turns into a wildfire. The state government seems to be unable to control the law and order,” Adhikari wrote in his letter.

Adhikari also led a delegation to the Raj Bhavan to meet the governor. State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was detained while he was on his way to the trouble-torn area. Later, state BJP leaders hit the streets in protest and blocked roads in central Kolkata.

“The police failed to control the situation over the last 48 hours but became hyperactive to stop us from going to that area. We were stopped so that the truth doesn’t come out,” said Majumdar.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, hit back saying that the BJP was trying to politicise the issue and provoke communal tension.

“The BJP should first tackle the law and order in those states where they are in power. West Bengal is peaceful. The police can detain or arrest a person if he tries to provoke tension. The local people and the police managed to restore peace in Ekbalpore. But some persons were trying to go there to provoke tension. People detained them. Even the TMC delegation was stopped in Uttar Pradesh when our MPs were going to meet the family members of the Hathras gang rape victim,” said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.

Adhikari also went to Lalbazar, the state police headquarters and led a delegation to the office of the power corporation which supplies electricity to Kolkata. He alleged that there was power cut in Ekbalpore for around three hours and the entire area plunged into darkness when the clash took place.

Meanwhile, Nabendu Kumar Bandopadhyay, a state leader of the Hindu Jagran Manch, filed a petition in the Calcutta high court.