Stone pelting will not be tolerated in Bengal, warns CM Adhikari after Park Circus violence

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday asserted that attacks on police personnel and law enforcers during protests and demonstrations would no longer be tolerated in West Bengal The CM made the remarks during his visit to Park Circus which witnessed violence on Sunday after protesters allegedly pelted stones and bricks at police personnel following attempts to stop a demonstration against the use of bulldozers to demolish illegal constructionsAdhikari said this would be the ldquofirst and lastrdquo attack on police personnel during his governmentrsquos tenure He warned that if any policeman was attacked in future strict legal action would followThe Chief Minister also claimed that Sundayrsquos protest against the use of bulldozers was ldquoplannedrdquoTension gripped the Park Circus area on Sunday afternoon after hundreds of people gathered to protest against the state governmentrsquos alleged bulldozer ldquopolicyrdquoThe situation escalated after police asked protesters to clear the roads Protesters alleged that police resorted to lathicharge first while the police claimed that stones and bricks were suddenly hurled at them Vehicles belonging to central forces were also vandalised following which additional security personnel were deployed in the areaAfter visiting the site on Monday Adhikari praised the role played by the police in handling the situation He visited the Deputy Commissionerrsquos office in Park Circus and met police officers and injured personnelSpeaking to reporters afterwards the Chief Minister said he was both the Chief Minister and Home Minister of the state and commended the manner in which the police handled the unrestHe said several police personnel and jawans of central forces were injured and added that he had enquired about their health conditionldquoAny political organisation or religious organisation can inform the police and organise their programme But gathering people raising religious slogans and pelting stones cannot be accepted Stone pelting at police has stopped in Kashmir and Srinagar and I think it will stop in West Bengal and Kolkata as wellrdquo Adhikari saidAfter reading out the names of injured police personnel and CRPF jawans the Chief Minister said he had come to express solidarity with themldquoI saw how seriously they were injured The way our entire force maintained law and order yesterday prevented any major incident and protected people I came to support them I told them the government stands with them They should work fearlessly according to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS Their Chief Minister and Home Minister will always stand by themrdquo he saidThe Chief Minister also issued a stern warning against future incidents of violenceldquoI appeal to people not to repeat such acts If anyone thinks this is like the previous government where police forces remained restrained with tied hands and feet they are mistaken I am giving a clear message of zero tolerance against such unrest and hooliganism We will not allow antinational or antisocial activitiesrdquo he saidAdhikari further said that as Home Minister he would ensure the strictest possible legal action if any policeman was attackedldquoWe will monitor such cases closely not only till arrest but till conviction I also want to tell police personnel to work fearlessly according to their training the provisions of the BNS and instructions given by their superiorsrdquo he addedStanding at Park Circus the Chief Minister instructed police personnel to take action strictly according to law irrespective of political affiliation religion or communityldquoThe police should not have to think five times before taking actionrdquo he saidIssuing a warning to those accused in the Park Circus violence Adhikari said ldquoListen carefully this should be the last such incident I will not allow such incidents to happen again If they happen again there will be no stricter Police Minister than merdquoThe Chief Minister also took a swipe at the previous regime over policingldquoEarlier the hands and feet of the police were tied Now they are independent The protectors of law will work according to lawrdquo he saidAt the same time Adhikari urged citizens to follow legal channels for complaints against police personnelldquoIf there is any complaint against a policeman inform the OC or IC If there is a complaint against the OC or IC meet the DC If there is a complaint against the DC go to Lalbazar Otherwise send a mail If there is any complaint against the CP write to Nabanna We will examine it But stone pelting and creating unrest in the name of religious slogans will no longer be allowed in West Bengalrdquo he saidThe Chief Minister added that his government would take Kolkata Police to ldquoanother levelrdquo within the next six monthsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever