Parties blame each other for sporadic violence in N Bengal
The Election Commission received over 100 complaints of violence and intimidation from three Lok Sabha segments, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.
The district police today initiated a specific case against the MP, Bishnupur, Soumitra Khan, based on a complaint of broadcasting rumours and propagating doctored photographs on the state’s struggle against the coronavirus.
“Today, we received a complaint at the Cyber Police Station in Bankura and a case was initiated,” stated Shyamal Samanta, Additional Superintendent of Police in Bankura, adding: “His post on Facebook was creating panic among the common people.”
Soumitra Khan, a controversial politician from Bankura was elected as an MLA on a Congress ticket in 2011. In 2014, he migrated to the Trinamul Congress and became an MP from Bishnupur seat. Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he deserted the Trinamul Congress after his lieutenant was booked by police on charges of illegal trading of firearms.
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He suddenly turned vocal on social media against the Trinamul Congress’s hierarchy after joining the saffron brigade. Based on a complaint, Calcutta High Court had barred his entry into the Bankura district although the BJP had fielded him as the candidate for the Bishnupur Lok Sabha seat.
Even so, he won the seat. Since then he had been vocal in criticising the Trinamul Congress from time to time on different issues like trafficking of coal and sand. Yesterday, Khan allegedly had made a derogative Facebook post mocking at the state government, which he however removed after the complaint was lodged.
But at 2 pm today, he made a fresh post in which he took a dig at the chief minister saying: “I won’t let you run political show alone,” adding: “You may lodge as many cases as you may wish, no matter.”
He also appeared on Facebook live to counter the police case this afternoon. The district Trinamul Congress leader and MLA, Bankura, Shampa Daripa, meanwhile ridiculed Khan. “This person always tries to create a mess everywhere and in every matter. People must boycott him. He’s not playing a positive role at this hour of crisis,”Daripa said.
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