High drama in WB's Birbhum! BJP, TMC lock horns over entry in Birbhum, BJP leaders detained

New Delhi, Oct 30: BJP leaders including Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Kirti Azad have been arrested in West Bengal's Birbhum for defying the prohibitory orders of the Court.

In the wake of increased attacks on BJP workers in West Bengal's Birbhum district, BJP chief Amit Shah had set up a three-member fact-finding team on Wednesday which was suppose to visit affected areas on October 30 to assess the situation.

BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was leading the three-member party team to Makra in Birbhum district where TMC and BJP supporters clashed leading to death of three persons last Monday, said the state Home department has asked them not to proceed as prohibitory orders were in force there but they would not change their plan.

"After we were informed of this communication, we decided we will carry on with our programme and we are not afraid if we are arrested there," Naqvi said.

BJP, Congress and CPI(M) teams were stopped from entering the village yesterday citing prohibitory orders in force in the area since Monday.

Asking the state government to deal firmly with anti-national activities, Naqvi alleged that, "The Trinamool Congress government is synonymous with terrorists and mafia and they are letting the anti-national forces to use the land of Bengal for terrorist activities.

"The kind of energy the Trinamool Congress government is spending on stopping the opposition parties from entering Bengal, if they had used ten per cent of that energy in curbing anti-national forces working in Bengal, then it would have been great for the country and the state," Naqvi told reporters here before leaving for Makra village.

Enroute to the village, Naqvi said, "We got a call at our party office a few minutes back in which the state Home department asked our party functionaries not to proceed to Makra in Birbhum district as prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC was in force there."

When asked about media reports claiming that the terror module unearthed in Bengal was planning to assassinate Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, Naqvi said "these reports are not only of national concern but also have implications on diplomatic ties." The BJP delegation comprising Naqvi and MPs Kirti Azad and Udit Raj will submit a full-fledged report about the incident to the party's central leadership.

The prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC are imposed since Monday in Birbhum, when TMC and BJP supporters clashed leading to death of three persons.

(With inputs from agencies)

OneIndia News