Section 144 cuffs on Malda BJP supporters Officials plead ignorance on order

BJP supporters being taken away from LIC More in Malda on Friday.
Picture by Surajit Roy

TT, Malda, Oct. 31: BJP leaders and supporters who had assembled here today to protest the prevention of the party’s national vice-president and state chief from entering Makhra yesterday were arrested for violating prohibitory orders imposed in Englishbazar police station area.

However, no senior police or administrative official said whether Section 144 had been declared in the Englishbazar area.

The police had, however, taken out a vehicle this morning with a loudhailer announcing that Section 144 was in force in Englishbazar from 6am to 10pm everyday.

About 70 BJP leaders and supporters started gathering at LIC More here from 10 am to take out a procession. Around noon, the Englishbazar police arrived and asked the BJP supporters to disperse. When they refused, the law enforcers arrested them and took them to the police station. The arrested were released on personal bonds around 5pm.

The BJP district president, Shibendu Shekhar Roy, who was among the arrested people, said this morning, he had come to know that prohibitory orders were in place.

“We were not given any reason as to why such a decision had been taken by the administration. The ruling party is trying to stifle all manners of democratic and peaceful movements. Yesterday, the Birbhum police arrested BJP all-India vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and state president Rahul Sinha when they tried to enter Makhra,” Roy said.

“We were holding a peaceful rally today when the police arrested us. The Trinamul government should realise that it cannot stifle democratic movements. The people will give them a befitting reply,” he added.

The CPM and the Congress also expressed surprise over the imposition of the prohibitory orders in Englishbazar police station area.

“What has occurred in Englishbazar to warrant the declaration of Section 144? We had taken out a rally in town yesterday to protest the deteriorating law-and-order in the district. Today, the BJP was prevented from holding a rally. The ruling party is trying to stop meetings and rallies,” said Ambar Mitra, the Malda district president of the CPM.

Mausam Noor, the district Congress president and North Malda MP, took a dig at the Mamata Banerjee government.

“Actually, the state government is muzzling the Opposition in order to conceal its inability to govern,” she said.

Senior administrative and police officials avoided commenting on the prohibitory orders.

Malda police superintendent Prasun Banerjee said: “I don’t have the power to impose prohibitory orders. It’s the subdivisional officer, headquarters, who is supposed to issue the order. That officer will be able to comment on the matter. Some BJP members were taken to the police station today as they were holding a meeting without our permission,” Banerjee said.

Nandini Saraswati, SDO (headquarters), refused comment. “I have nothing to say,” she said.

Even district magistrate Sharad Dwivedi pleaded ignorance. “I have no idea that Section 144 has been imposed in Malda town,” he said.

Shibendu Shekhar Roy said the BJP had taken permission from the Englishbazar police to hold the rally. He said the police had arrested the BJP supporters, saying they had flouted CrPC Section 144 that prohibits the assembly of five or more persons.

A senior police officer said on condition of anonymity that Section 144 had been in force in adjoining Kaliachak and had been extended to Englishbazar from today because of “law and order reasons”.

Yesterday, state home secretary Basudeb Banerjee and director-general of police G. M. P. Reddy had held a meeting with senior police and administrative officials to review the law-and-order in the district.