Dilip’s convoy attacked in Alipurduar, BJP hits streets

Alipurduar/Kolkata: Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh’s convoy was shown black flags and pelted with stones in Alipurduar on Thursday, sparking protests in Kolkata and the districts.
Ghosh had set out on a motorbike at 11am for a BJP rally at Jaigaon’s Khoklabari — after his chai baithak programme at Madarihat — when police stopped the convoy of 150-odd motorbikes and some cars at Dalsinghpara in Kalchini block.The convoy reversed its route and while passing by Mangalbari was shown black flags by people on the roadside who also raised “go back” slogans. A few from the crowd threw stones at the convoy, breaking windshields of three cars, one belonging to BJP’s Kalchini MLA Wilson Champramari. Police brought the situation under control.
The Bengal BJP president saw the hand of Trinamool and its “friends” in the attack. “I have come under attack several times in the past. BJP is gaining strength in the state; Trinamool and their friends are getting desperate as they can sense defeat in the upcoming assembly polls. Trinamool and police perpetrated the attack. Such tactics won’t work, people are with us,” Ghosh said.
Locals suspect Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Bimal Gurung) supporters, among others, were part of the crowd that showed black flags. GJM’s Man Dosh Lama denied the allegation.
BJP seniors targeted Trinamool, citing the attack on Ghosh as a glaring instance of Bengal’s “appalling law and order”. BJP national secretary Arvind Menon tweeted: “From a booth level worker to state president, each and every BJP worker is being targeted by TMC goons.”
BJP national vice-president Mukul Roy said: “People of the state will give a befitting reply to the anarchic state government and BJP will fight till the end.”
Taking the cue, BJP Yuva Morcha, led by Bishnupur MP Soumitra Khan, took out a protest rally from the Kolkata party office and demonstrated at Central Avenue, where the chief minister’s effigy was burnt. Party supporters in Bolpur, Cooch Behar, Balurghat, Howrah, Baruipur and Murshidabad hit the streets, demanding arrest of the culprits.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed concern over continuing attacks on the opposition despite his repeated messages to the administration.
Trinamool denied a hand in the attack. Party district leader Sourav Chakraborty instead blamed BJP for trying to foment trouble in north Bengal.