Kolkata, Oct 9: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya to remove or change his social media post blaming “Hindutvawadi miscreants” for alleged vandalism at his house.
Talking to reporters at the state secretariat, Adhikari threatened to take legal action against Bhattacharya if he did not take down the post.
The CM also accused Bhattacharya of insulting the entire Hindu community, and questioned why he had blamed Hindutva supporters without knowing who was behind the attack.
“Bhattacharya must delete or amend his statement within 24 hours of this press conference. The police have acted to maintain law and order, and arrested an accused on the basis of a specific complaint. Any attempt to disturb the law and order situation will not be tolerated,” Adhikari asserted.
“The incident will certainly be investigated. On my instructions, the police have arrested the attacker. But, how could he write on social media that Hindutva activists were behind the attack?” Adhikari said.
The senior CPI(M) leader had on Thursday alleged that “Hindutvawadi miscreants” smashed windowpanes and a CCTV camera at his residence here. The incident occurred around 5 am in Kalikapur off E M Bypass.
Bhattacharya, who is also a senior lawyer, alleged on social media that unidentified youths with their faces covered arrived on motorcycles and smashed the windowpanes of his house. The former Kolkata mayor has lodged an FIR and claimed the attack was carried out by “Hindutvawadi miscreants”.
“Around 5 am today, Hindutva goons attacked my house. They arrived on a motorcycle, hurled liquor bottles at the windows, smashed the panes and fled. My domestic help narrowly escaped injury,” Bhattacharya had posted on Facebook.
Two FIRs have been registered against the CPI(M) leader at Topsia and Garfa police stations over his social media remarks, sources said. (PTI)
