A police complaint has been lodged against Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the BJP candidate for the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat and a former judge of the Calcutta High Court, along with some party members in East Midnapore, West Bengal. They are accused of assaulting dismissed school employees who were protesting at their demonstration site.
The complaint, filed by a faction of the 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff who lost their jobs due to a high court ruling and are reportedly affiliated with the ruling Trinamool Congress, has led to the registration of an FIR at the Tamluk police station. This FIR includes charges under several non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.
The incident stemmed from a BJP rally in Tamluk on May 4, during which Gangopadhyay was en route to file his nomination papers. Tension arose when the rally passed through the area where the dismissed school staff were staging their protest against the court's decision.
Maidul Islam, President of the West Bengal Primary Teachers’ Association, which is said to have ties with the Trinamool, alleged that the protestors were attacked without provocation by members of Gangopadhyay’s rally.He threatened of state-wide agitation if those who were responsible for the assault are not taken to task at the earliest possible.
In reply to the FIR, Gangopadhyay had called the allegations baseless and had said he was ready for any form of legal recourse. He had felt the law would catch those who make baseless allegations.
