Kolkata:
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday directed the Chief Secretary to provide personal updates regarding the law and situation in the state on urgent basis.
This comes after several protests erupted in the state lately against the expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma who made objectionable comments over Prophet Mohammad.
Meanwhile, a Kolkata Police constable shot dead two people, including a woman, outside the Bangladesh High Commission in the Park Circus area of Kolkata on Friday. A biker who was passing by during the incident was also injured. He has been taken to hospital.
In a letter, Dhankar wrote, “In view of alarming law and order situation in the State since yesterday, including reported deaths today, constrained to seek urgent personal update from the Chief Secretary by 10.00 P.M. today. He has been called upon to initiate all possible steps to bring about restoration of law and order as also peace.”
‘While appealing for peace’ in the state, the Governor said, “Expect CM Mamata Banerjee to sternly warn law violators- they will not be spared.”
He pointed out at the protest held in Howrah on June 9 that disrupted traffic, he wrote, “After June 09, 2022 blockade of NH-I16 for 11 hours it was expected that the administration would be in an overdrive to take preventive and precautionary measures which unfortunately are not reflected on the ground.”
“Vigilant steps were required to be taken in the wake of The Imam Association of Bengal circulating a video clip raising protest and its President urging demonstrations after Friday’s namaaz session,” he added.
On June 10, another protest was held in Kolkata’s Park Circus on Friday where thousands of Muslims thronged at the road to stage a protest against expelled BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. The crowd emerged in oppoisition of Nupur Sharma for making inflammatory comments on the messenger on Islam.
There are number of protests being held across the nation condemning the objectionable remarks of Nupur Sharma. The protestors from all states are demanding for the Sharma’s arrest for hurting religion sentiments.
Even the comments of the expelled BJP leader over Prophet Mohammad attracted global criticism especally from the Gulf countries. The 57-member OIC had raised concerns against the “systematic harassment of minorities in India”.
However, India ‘categorically rejected’ the claims and said, the Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We have seen the statement on India from the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Government of India categorically rejects OIC Secretariat’s unwarranted and narrow-minded comments.”
Following the controversy, the saffron party suspended the two leaders saying the views of Sharma are “contrary to the Party’s position on various matters.”
“The BJP strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities of any religion,” clarified BJP in a separate statement.
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