BJP MPs stopped, hold dharna in protest ... Told they had no permission for travel during the lockdown

John Barla’s dharna against the police on Friday. Picture by Biplab Basak

TT,  9.05.20, Jalpaiguri: Two BJP MPs who had gone out of homes were intercepted at different places by police who said they had no permission for travel during the lockdown.

While Jalpaiguri MP Jayanta Roy was detained outside his rented accommodation in Paharipara of the town, Alipurduar Parliamentarian John Barla was held near his house on the Lakhipara tea estate near Banarhat.

Roy, a doctor, said: “I was cycling to Rautbagan to check a patient. My home quarantine has ended on May 3. Even then, police stopped me from proceeding. Senior police officers are acting at the behest of Trinamul leaders.”

Roy sat on a dharna outside his house for some time to protest the police action.

Barla said he had come out of home after 28 days. “I had planned to distribute relief among the poor in Banarhat but police stopped me. It is unfortunate that the police are imposing no such restriction on Trinamul leaders.”

He also sat on a dharna on the road, along with BJP workers.

Both Roy and Barla said on one hand, they were not allowed to reach voters and on the other hand, Trinamul was asking why Darjeeling MP Raju Bista was not in his constituency.

“Even if he (Bista) comes to Darjeeling, we suspect he would face a same situation like us,” said Roy.