Cooch Behar: In a display of political courtesy, TMC candidate helped rival BJP candidate navigate through SIR protests and roadblocks in Cooch Behar on Monday.
Protests over SIR led to road blockades across parts of Cooch Behar on Monday, intensifying political tensions between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Amid the blockade, BJP candidate Rathindranath Bose, contesting from the Cooch Behar South Assembly Constituency, was caught in a traffic snarl while heading to campaign in the area. As his vehicle approached, protesters waved black flags and raised “Go Back” slogans.
The Trinamool Congress candidate Abhijit De Bhowmik, who is also the district party president, along with actor-turned-politician Dev, also faced disruption due to the blockade. However, displaying political courtesy, De Bhowmik intervened to help Bose navigate through the crowd and continue his campaign. However, the incident soon took a contentious turn. De Bhowmik later alleged on social media that the BJP candidate had deliberately parked his vehicle in the middle of the road, worsening the obstruction and disrupting public movement. Countering the claim, Bose accused the Trinamool leader of verbal abuse and further alleged that his driver and personal assistant were physically assaulted during the altercation. Police personnel were present at the scene, but no arrests were reported.
In the Ghughumari area, residents blocked roads from around 10:30 am, alleging that names of several eligible voters had been removed from the rolls. Protesters claimed that long-time residents were excluded despite meeting eligibility criteria. A local participant, Ratan Barman, accused the Election Commission of India of acting under political pressure.