NRC: TMC leaders lodge police complaints against Assam CM for 'harassment' at Silchar airport
Kolkata, Aug 3 (IBNS): Two parliamentarians of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a MLA of the party, who were the members of a delegation that was stopped by Assam Police at Silchar airport before entering the state on Thursday, lodged complaints against Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at two police stations in Kolkata on Friday, reports said.
According to reports, TMC MPs Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Mamatabala Thakur lodged complaint at Airport Police Station when West Bengal's ruling party's MLA Mahua Maitra registered another complaint with Alipore Police Station.
They accused Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal and his administration of harassing and manhandling the eight-member TMC delegation at Silchar airport.
Meanwhile, TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee on Friday announced to observe 'black day' on Saturday and Sunday across Bengal to protest against the NRC move in Assam as well the 'alleged' harassment of TMC delegation at airport.
The 8-member TMC delegation, including six MPs, had arrived in Silchar to interact with people left out of the complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC)- an issue the party has taken up for a strong protest.
The complete draft of the NRC, touted to be a proof of Assamese citizenship, had excluded over 40 lakh people, triggering a political slugfest between the BJP and other political parties.
However, the TMC leaders, led by West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim, were not allowed to exit the airport as they were put into preventive detention at the airport on the ground of prohibitory orders being in force in the town.
This led to a scuffle between few of the TMC leaders and the security personnel, who barred their way out of the airport.
The members of the delegation alleged that they were stopped at the Silchar airport and confined "unlawfully" and were treated the "same way infiltrators are treated."
At least three FIRs have been lodged at three police stations in Assam against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for her NRC remarks under IPC sections 120B, 153A, 294 and 506, according to reports.
(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
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