TMC vs BJP Over Fact Finding Team Stopped From Visiting Violence-Hit Howrah

A six-member team of an NGO was stopped by the police from visiting the violence-hit areas of Howrah district on Sunday, officials said.

The 'fact-finding' team, led by retired Patna High Court judge L Narasimha Reddy, was stopped at the Vidyasagar Setu toll plaza when they were heading towards Kazipara in Shibpur, which was rocked by clashes on Ram Navami.

Members of the team had a heated argument with the police after they were stopped. After waiting for around 30 minutes, they returned to their hotel in Kolkata.

Police said they were not allowed to visit the area as prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC were still in force.

On Saturday, the team was also stopped by the police from visiting Hooghly's Rishra and Serampore where similar violence broke out during Ram Navami celebrations last week.

The TMC claimed that the BJP was behind the NGO, which sent the team to the area.

"When the violence-hit areas of Howrah and Hooghly are returning to normal, such visits will only trigger tension. Police are working as per the high court's directive," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

"The BJP is behind such NGOs. BJP created trouble in both Shibpur and Rishra. Now, they don't want normalcy to return," he alleged.

The BJP on the other side claimed that the police stopped the NGO as the state government was attempting to hide the atrocities committed in those areas.

"The Mamata Banerjee government wants to hide the atrocities committed in parts of Howrah and Hooghly against the ordinary people," BJP leader Rahul Sinha alleged.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)