WB clash: Amit Shah creates panel to probe 'unfortunate, painful' incident
Union Minister Babul Supriyo was stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area on Thursday.
New Delhi: In the wake of violence over Ram Navami processions in West Bengal, BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday constituted a four-member committee comprising senior party leaders, who would visit the state and submit a report to him in this regard.
Shah condemned the violence in Asansol in West Bengal and said "such incidents are unfortunate and painful".
The four-member committee the BJP chief formed comprises the party's national vice-president Om Mathur, spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain and two MPs -- Roopa Ganguly and B D Ram.
The committee members will visit the state and submit a report to Shah, the statement said.
Union Minister Babul Supriyo, state BJP Mahila Morcha president Locket Chatterjee and another senior state BJP leader were on Thursday stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area.
Supriyo claimed that two FIRs were lodged against him after which he also filed a complaint against the police.
However, there was no confirmation from the police whether such FIRs were lodged or not.
A group of people shouted slogans against the minister and demanded that he immediately leave the area.
TV channels showed him engaged in a verbal spat with police personnel, who had surrounded his vehicle.
"As a public representative, I have every right to visit my constituency, especially when people are in trouble. It is my duty. But the police is saying I won't be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area. Being a minister, I cannot violate rules," Supriyo said.
He said he would inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident.
Earlier, the BJP had hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the incidents of violence in the state and accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo of doing politics while the state was burning.
Supriyo claimed that only the deployment of central forces could bring back peace to the area as locals did not have faith in the police.
A clash had broken out between two groups over a Ram Navami procession at Raniganj, near Asansol, on Monday.
One person was allegedly hacked to death while a deputy commissioner of police had lost a hand after being hit by a bomb.