High drama was witnessed at Tamluk in Purba Medinipur district on Sunday afternoon as West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari was prevented by police from visiting violence-hit areas in Howrah.
He was later allowed to proceed after a two-hour-long stand-off on the condition that he would go straight to Kolkata, without making any pit stop in violence-hit areas in adjoining Howrah district.
Adhikari said he would move the court on Monday over being prevented from visiting the areas affected by violent protests over controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by now suspended BJP spokespersons.
Police claimed preventing him from travelling to Howrah was a "precautionary measure" as prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been clamped in many areas in the district and his visit may have caused law and order problems.
Adhikari was moving with his security entourage when he was stopped by a huge police team at Radharani More in Tamluk. He was not accompanied by any other BJP leader.
"We have received information that Adhikari was planning to visit Howrah district, in parts of which Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed. So, as a precautionary measure, we had to prevent him from going there as his visit may have caused a law and order problem," a senior police officer told PTI.
Adhikari remained seated inside the vehicle, claiming he had no intention of visiting Howrah. He was also reluctant to return to his hometown Kanthi in Purba Medinipur district from where he had started.
He engaged in heated arguments with police officers present at the spot, stating that he wanted to have lunch and take rest at a guest house in Kolaghat in Purba Medinipur district, before proceeding to Kolkata.
"I have been unlawfully obstructed by @WBPolice on NH 116 at Radhamoni under Tamluk PS. @MedinipurSp is there a Curfew in place in Purba Medinipur District or Section 144 has been imposed? I am moving towards Kolaghat for having lunch. How is it prohibited?" Adhikari said in a series of tweets from the spot.
"I wonder why @WBPolice DGP @mmalaviya1 is using the Police personnel to obstruct @BJP4Bengal leadership when the need of the hour is to deploy them across WB where rioters are having a free run destroying & looting public & private properties," he added.
Adhikari said he has a programme to attend at Indian Museum in Kolkata in the afternoon and assembly session will take place on Monday.
After this, police allowed him to proceed but on the condition that he won't make any pit stop in troubled areas in Howrah district and go straight to Kolkata, ending the two-hour-long stand-off.
Upon reaching Kolkata, Adhikari straightaway went to the site of party colleague and state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar's sit-in demonstration against alleged failure of the Mamata Banerjee government in containing violent incidents in Howrah.
"I did not get down from my vehicle, even while passing by our gutted party office in Uluberia. I offered by tributes with folded hands as the car slowed down. We will later purify it with Ganga water," he said.
Adhikari alleged that he was not treated in a proper manner and such treatment was never meted out to the then LoPs Pankaj Banerjee or Partha Chatterjee during the previous Left Front rule.
He also alleged that Majumdar was prevented from visiting Howrah on Saturday to "hide" torching of properties by a mob in Panchla.
Majumdar was arrested on Saturday afternoon when he was heading towards Howrah district. He was later released.
In an apparent reference to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Adhikari said, "Only aunt and nephew are given security by police in the state."