Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday demanded that Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose discharge constitutional duties properly in the aftermath of the assault on BJP lawmakers Khagen Murmu and Shankar Ghosh in north Bengal on Monday.
Adhikari’s demand came on a day a lawyer moved Calcutta High Court, accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of blocking complaints against Trinamool Congress leaders.
Maldaha Uttar MP Khagen Murmu and Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh had been assaulted in Nagrakata while they were visting flood-ravaged places.
A vacation division bench of the high court, headed by Justice Kaushik Chanda, on Thursday allowed advocate Anindya Sundar Das to file a petition alleging that police were not allowing any political party or individuals to lodge an FIR against Trinamool members.
The case relates to the attack on Murmu and Ghosh. The matter will be heard on Monday.
Later in the day, Adhikari urged Bose to act.
“Law and order is a state subject. The Union government has nothing to do with this. The state’s MP and MLA have been attacked, so justice must come from within Bengal. That is why we demand that the governor discharge his constitutional duties properly,” he said.
Referring to the Nagrakata attack, Adhikari reminded Bose of his earlier assurance.
“After the Murshidabad violence... the governor had said he would take stern action if any more such incidents occurred. So now we expect positive action from him,” Adhikari said.
Bose met President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Wednesday and submitted to her a report on the law and order in Bengal. BJP legislators are said to be watching the developments closely before deciding on their next move.
Within the BJP, many see Adhikari’s remarks as an attempt to increase pressure on Bose.
BJP MP Manoj Tigga announced that the party would continue its agitation against what it called “anti-tribal activities” of the state government. “We will stage demonstrations in all 23 districts from October 13 to 16, with major gatherings in north and south Bengal to protest the attack on Khagen Murmu,” Tigga said.
“A large number of people will join the protests against this Trinamool Congress government,” he added.