A day after a case was lodged against Union Minister Babul Supriyo for violating prohibitory orders in Asansol and misbehaving with a senior IPS officer, he accused the Bengal government of registering “false cases”, which, he said, reminded of the CPM rule.

Supriyo was booked for violating prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and under Sections 146, 147, 148 (rioting) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), a non-bailable offence.

Supriyo in a tweet said, “Today I was reminded of the 2008-2010 regime of CPI(M) government in West Bengal. Even during those times, opposition members were implicated in false cases and there were efforts to suppress the voices of the citizens using police. Even today, the state government is making efforts to suppress Opposition leaders”. (Translated from Bengali)

“The only difference is that now other government is in power. Whenever people are tortured, I will go to them. If ‘didi’ (Mamata Banerjee) thinks that through the false case the police will prevent me from reaching out to them then they are mistaken,” said the MP from Asansol in a tweet. (Translated from Bengali)

(1/2) আজ আমার ২০০৮-২০১০ সালের পশ্চিমবঙ্গে বামফ্রন্ট সরকারের কথা ভীষণভাবে মনে পড়ছে। সেদিন ও বিরোধীদের মিথ্যা মামলায় ফাঁসানো হয়েছে, বিরোধীদের ভয় দেখানো হয়েছিল, পুলিশ দিয়ে জনগণের মুখ বন্ধের চেষ্টা হয়েছিল আজও ঠিক একই রকম ভাবে বিরোধীদের দমানোর চেষ্টা চলছে।

— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) March 30, 2018

(2/2) পার্থক্য শুধু এইটুকু এখন অন‍্য সরকার ক্ষমতায় রয়েছে।যতবার সাধারণ মানুষের উপর অত‍্যাচার হবে ততবার আমি যাব তাদের পাশে| ‘দিদি’ যদি ভাবেন মিথ্যে কেস-এর-পুলিসি ভয় দেখিয়ে আমাকে আটকাতে পারবেন, ওনার ভুল আগেও ভেঙেছি, বার বার ভাঙ্গব |

— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) March 30, 2018

On Thursday, Supriyo tried to enter the Railpar area in Paschim Bardhaman district, where police stopped his car, citing security reasons.

A group of people shouted slogans against the minister and demanded that he immediately leave the area.

State BJP Mahila Morcha president Locket Chatterjee was also barred from visiting the affected areas as the situation continued to remain tense there.

Internet services remained suspended and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were clamped in the area, following clashes between two groups on Sunday and Monday over a Ram Navami rally at Raniganj, the police said.

The Asansol-Raniganj area, has been on the boil since Sunday, over clashes following a Ram Navami rally. However, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area, the police said, adding that the situation was “under control”.