Suvendu Adhikari urges WB Chief Secretary to allow him to visit protest-hit Howrah

BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, dashed off a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary H.K Dwivedi on Sunday, demanding permission to visit vandalized BJP party offices in Howrah district without being stopped.

Kolkata:BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, dashed off a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary H.K Dwivedi on Sunday, demanding permission to visit vandalized BJP party offices in Howrah district without being stopped. "It is astounding to note that since midnight, huge police deployment was made in and around my Contai residence and road barriers were put up," the letter read. "A letter addressed to me by the Inspector-in-Charge, Contai Police Station has advised me not to visit Howrah Rural Police District and parts of Howrah Police Commissionerate areas where section 144 CrPC is in effect," it further informed.

Adhikari stated that he was travelling alone, and therefore did not violate provisions of section 144. "Many BJP party offices in Howrah district have been vandalized and as the Leader of Opposition, West Bengal, I will be visiting such vandalized office alone. Hence the question of violating the 144 order does not arise." The Nandigram MLA further slammed the Contai IC, saying the latter had acted in matters out of his jurisdiction.

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"The Inspector In-Charge, Contai Police Station has also acted in excess of his jurisdiction and issued such frivolous advise restraining me from visiting areas which are admittedly beyond the jurisdiction of Contai Police Station ..." it also added. The letter came after Adhikari tweeted out earlier in the day, saying he had been stopped on NH 116 in the Radhamoni area of Purba Medinipur district, while he was travelling to Kolaghat (in the same district) for lunch.

The development comes in the background of fresh chaos in Howrah district on Saturday, as protestors clashed with the police and burnt establishments. A day before, BJP party offices in the district had been targetted, and several of them were torched. State BJP President Sukanta Majumdar was arrested on Saturday near Vidyasagar Setu while trying to reach the affected areas.