Babul Supriyo accuses Mamata Banerjee-led TMC for violence in Asansol, Raniganj

Around 12.30 am on March 25, the day of Ram Navami, Supriyo had tweeted: “TMC goons attacked VHP workers and set Ram Navami stage on fire at Burdwan. Please tweet with a hashtag #MAmataAgainstRamnavami.”

Later, he again accused Trinamool Congress of foiling Ram Navami celebrations. “At the same time, I am pained to witness what’s happening in WB… #Ramnavami celebration gets heckled by police… Antagonising one religion’s traditions to win minority voters in downright disgusting…” he tweeted.

Following the violence in Raniganj the next day, Supriyo held members of Muslim community responsible for the violence. “The situation in my constituency Asansol where dozens of goons from the minority community came in matadors and cars, vandalised and burnt down shops, pulled Hindus out from their houses and assaulted/injured them brutally with choppers and swords…” he tweeted.

He was severely criticised by Trinamool, with party secretary general Partha Chatterjee saying: “Such statements fuel further violence than controlling it.”

During the violence Monday, Supriyo continued to hurl allegations against the state government. “But the most alarming and dangerous fact is that the WB police remained inactive and far away from the spots and as the videos will prove, residents are alleging that the police did not respond or take calls…” he tweeted.

“The goons from minority community came, slaughtered and was given a safe haven to escape. The entire nation needs to know how dirty a politics of appeasement Mamata govt. is playing in Bengal,” he said.

Posting a picture of Asansol-Durgapur DCP, who was attacked by a bomb during the clash, Supriyo tweeted: “The severely injured hand of Deputy Commissioner of Police Arindam Dutta Chowdhury. The police officers are caught between the crossfire of having to do their duty or refrain from doing it — a result of Mamata Banerjee diktat with appeasement of the minority.”

On Tuesday, the day the violence spread to Asansol, Supriyo said that he had spoken to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and requested that central forces be sent Raniganj-Asansol area.

“Families that had to flee their residents due to riot like situations in Raniganj-Asansol. BJP karyakartas trying to assist and stand by them. These are the true pictures of Asansol/Raniganj where deployment of adequate police as claimed by govt. of WB is a complete hogwash,” Supriyo tweeted with some pictures of alleged locals caught in crossfire.

“We will show this Jihadi Sarkar that the spirit of Bengal is still alive. There are hundreds of pictures circulating…. It is impossible to verify their authenticity but even if 25 per cent of that is correct, situation is grave,” he added.