“Road blockade on VIP Road over police obstruction to Trinamool’s mass sit-in programme.”

Leaders of the Pradesh Trinamool Congress have alleged that a section of BLOs in the state are indulging in unethical activities in various places during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. To protest such unethical practices, the Pradesh Trinamool Congress called for a two-hour mass sit-in on Constitution Day at the foot of the Gandhi statue located at the Circuit House.

Accordingly, on Wednesday morning, Trinamool Congress workers and supporters gathered at Swami Vivekananda Maidan. From there, they marched towards the Gandhi statue near the Circuit House. However, the NCC Police Station personnel obstructed the Trinamool Congress workers and supporters in front of the statue.

In protest, the Trinamool workers and supporters sat on the road at that very section of VIP Road and raised slogans.Speaking on the matter, Trinamool Congress leaders said that their two-hour sit-in programme was pre-scheduled. They alleged that the BJP government deployed the police to disrupt their programme. That is why the workers and supporters sat on the road in protest. They further stated that under the name of SIR, some BLOs are going door-to-door, especially in opposition supporters’ homes, demanding proof of birth certificates. Some are even saying, ‘Your name is not in the 2002 voter list; you are Bangladeshi — go back to Bangladesh.’The leaders said that they organized the sit-in to ensure that the people of the state do not panic due to such behavior by certain BLOs. They added that not a single name of a genuine Indian citizen or a genuine voter will be allowed to be removed from the voter list.

Regarding the police obstruction of the programme, an official of the NCC Police Station said that there was no permission to hold this programme. Therefore, they were detained. They were arrested and taken to the police lines at AD Nagar. Further action will be taken as per the law, he added.

Due to the sudden blockade of VIP Road by Trinamool Congress workers and supporters, severe traffic congestion occurred in that area. As a result, many government employees and private school students could not reach their offices and schools on time.