Following the clashes that broke out in Kolkata's Mominpur-Khidirpore area on Sunday evening, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legal cell in a letter to Calcutta High Court Justice Prakash Shrivastav, sought a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the violence where several people were left injured while others were detained.
BJP leader and lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal has stated that the BJP wanted a court order directing the NIA to investigate the incidents, especially the use of heavy explosives and firing in Mominpur, reports India Today.
BJP's legal cell requested the deployment of central forces in the Mominpur-Khidirpore area to see control of law and order and asked whether a team from the Centre's disaster control could be formed to submit a report.
According to police and media reports, the violence broke out on Saturday evening after religious flags were put up in the Mayurbhanj area of Mominpur in the city when Milad-un-Nabi was being observed. The flags were allegedly torn down. Reports also suggest that on Sunday evening, violence broke out after two groups broke into a fight over a 'local issue'. During the violence, people pelted stones and vandalised vehicles while a large crowd surrounded the Ekbalpur Police Station. Some houses in Mominpur and adjacent Mayurbhanj Roads were also ransacked.
Additionally, five people, including BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar have been arrested in connection with the violence. More than 30 people have been detained in connection with the sporadic clashes.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari and BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul marched from the State Assembly to the Raj Bhavan on Monday, along with a delegation of party MLAs to meet Governor La. Ganesan.
Suvendu Adhikari said the police commissioner has barred the entry of BJP leaders in the area and has restricted internet services.
“You have arrested our state president. We do not want Bengali Hindus to migrate now. We have written a letter to the governor of West Bengal and Union Home Minister Amit Shah with evidence about the Mominpur clashes,” the BJP leader told the media.
Suvendu Adhikari sought the deployment of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to contain the situation. Adhikari, who visited Lalbazar Police Headquarters and Raj Bhawan alleged that three senior IPS officers were injured in the violence.
“The @BJP4Bengal Legislature Party has submitted the following Memorandum to Hon’ble Governor Shri La Ganesan Ji, requesting him to take urgent steps, such as deploying Central Forces, forming a High-Level Committee, NIA investigation etc in the wake of Mominpur violence,” the Leader of Opposition said on Twitter.
Additionally, Suvendu Adhikari on Monday claimed that Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS) are behind the violence in the Mominpur area of Kolkata. He also claimed that 5,000 Hindus have fled Kolkata due to the Mominpur violence.
