Ministers’ take on the never-ending wait at Bajkul

Our fundamental right was violated
Rabilal Maitra

Minister for Law and Judicial Affairs
What happened at Bajkul on Tuesday is absolutely unfortunate. It’s a major blow to democracy. I cannot even think that five ministers of the government could be stopped and forced to return. In democracy,everyone has the right to expression and free movement. That was violated there. We were going there to stand by the people who were distressed. But we were not allowed to do that. This is not desirable in a democracy.

What happened was unthinkable
Benoy Krishna Biswas Minister of state for Disaster Management
On Monday,we were told by our party leadership as well by our Chief Minister that we will have to go to Khejuri to take stock of the situation and instill confidence in the minds of our comrades. Yesterday at Tamluk party office,where we had assembled before the departure,we got to know about the roadblock but we decided to proceed ahead thinking that nobody could dare to stop the convoy of five ministers. But what happened thereafter was unthinkable. The police told us that they could break the barricade and move ahead but since violent agitations were going on,policmen assigned for our protection needed to be deployed there. We believe that it is a severe blow to democracy. It was a blot on the image of West Bengal.

We will go there again,no one can stop us
Partha Dey Minister for School Education
Everybody knows what is happening at Khejuri. A reign of terror has been unleashed by Trinamool Congress. CPM supporters have been subjected to torture and harassment. Their houses are being demolished and party offices have been burnt. We thought we should have stood by those who bore the brunt of the Trinamool fury. But we were not even allowed to enter there. We shudder to think where we are going. I don’t want to comment whether police should have broken the barricade and let us in. You will have to ask the police about this. But I was rather taken aback by the fact that we could not go. This is so unfortunate and unthinkable. But we will go there again. Nobody can stop us.

We can also hit back but Bengal will suffer
Chakradhar MaikapMinister of state for Technical Education
Once we came to know that Trinamool’s men were unleashing terror,we told the police to go and protect people. That’s why we came back. We have seen how their MP had led the terror brigade. But they have forgotten that we can also hit back. If it happens,Bengal will be engulfed in darkness.