Adhikari stopped from entering Raj Bhavan along with 'victims' of post-poll violence

Kolkata, June 13 (PTI) The police on Thursday prevented BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari from entering Raj Bhavan to meet West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose with alleged victims of post-poll violence on Thursday, citing Section 144 of CrPC which is in force outside the Governor House, which prohibits large gatherings, a senior leader of the saffron camp said.

Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, is waiting in his car outside the Raj Bhavan.

He is scheduled to meet the Governor along with alleged victims of post-poll violence in the state to demand justice so that they can return home.

But as Adhikari was about to enter the Raj Bhavan premises, his car was stopped along with other vehicles carrying the victims of the post-poll violence citing Sec 144.

“We fail to understand how there are two sets of rules. Last year, Abhishek Banerjee organized a sit-in outside Raj Bhavan. There was no Sec 144 violation at that time, but as we want to meet the Governor, there is violation of prohibitory orders,” the BJP leader said.

The BJP has levelled allegations of post-poll violence against the TMC, which the state's ruling party has denied.

"Allegations of TMC unleashing post-poll violence are completely wrong. It is the other way around. TMC workers have been attacked, beaten up and also killed in areas where the BJP has won the election. In Purba Mediniur district's Khejuri, our party workers have been beaten up and rendered homeless," TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said.

The Trinamool Congress, under Mamata Banerjee's leadership, secured 29 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.

In contrast, the BJP faced a significant setback, dropping to 12 seats from the 18 it won in 2019.