Home Ministry seeks state’s report on Babul Supriyo case

The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the state home department in connection with the incident in which the Union minister of state for heavy industries and public enterprise, Babul Supriyo was heckled.

Sources said that the letter seeking a report in this connection reached the state secretariat on Friday morning. It may be recalled that Supriyo was heckled by a mob near BNR More at Asansol on Wednesday. 

The incident had also led to trouble at Hazra crossing in South Kolkata as the BJP supporters and workers had marched towards Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence protesting against Wednesday’s incident. They had even tried to break security barricades which resulted in chaos in the city causing massive traffic congestion in a busy afternoon of a working day.

A huge contingent of police was pressed to bring the situation under control and 18 BJP workers including 5 women were arrested.

In connection with Thursday’s trouble following harassment of Babul Supriyo, Partha Chatterjee, the state parliamentary affairs minister, said that they (BJP) didn’t know the democratic way of undertaking a movement. “I feel they wouldn’t have done this if they had a solid base. Moreover, the administration is tackling such situation strong-handedly. Thus, creating trouble to destabilise the peaceful situation here would be of no help,” he said adding that Roopa Ganguly is a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and he would have to check whether a nominated member can take part in any political programme.

Chatterjee was speaking to the media at Kolkata Airport before leaving for Bangladesh on Friday. He would be attending the conference of Awami League and would also visit Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka. He said that he is carrying the message and good wishes of the Chief Minister to Bangladesh. “I am hopeful that the bonding between Bengal and Bangladesh would become stronger,” he said.