A damaged vehicle after Kurmi coomunity members allegedly attacked TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s convoy at Gar Salboni in Jhagram. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Nine persons, mostly members of the Kurmi community, have been arrested in connection with the attack on the convoy of Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal police has taken over the investigation in the case, and on Monday the nine accused were produced before a court in Jhargram. These arrests were carried out over a span of past three days from Saturday and among those arrested include West Bengal Kurmi Samaj president Rajesh Mahato and Adivasi Janajati Kurmi Samaj State chief Shibaji Mahato. The court on Monday remanded the accused in judicial custody for 14 days.
Meanwhile, there were protests across different parts of the Jangalmahal region against these arrests. Members of the Kurmi community, who have been at loggerheads with the State government over the demand of Scheduled Tribe status, said that they wanted an investigation not by the CID but by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The attack, in which Mr. Banerjee escaped unhurt but the vehicles of many including that of State’s Minister Birbaha Hansda were damaged, had created ripples in the political circles. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while treading with caution had blamed the BJP supporters for the violence and said that members of Kurmi community could not be involved in the violence
Also read | Treading carefully on Kurmi agitation, Mamata says BJP wants situation akin to Manipur in West Bengal
Transfer order creates controversy
Meanwhile, the transfer order of Mr. Rajesh Mahato, who is also a school teacher, has stirred up a controversy. Amidst the ongoing row over the attack on the convoy, Mr. Rajesh Mahato has been transferred to a school in north Bengal. The development has evoked strong response not only from political circles but also from teacher’s associations. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari had extended support to Mr. Rajesh Mahato added that he was willing to extend legal help to the Kurmi leader.
The development centered around the Kurmi agitation and the arrest of leaders of the community assumes significance as Kurmis and Scheduled Tribe population are key to four Lok Sabha seats in the Jangalmahal region. In the second week of April this year, members of the Kurmi community organised road and railway blockades for five days in the region. Earlier this month, leaders of Trinamool Congress and the BJP have made certain remarks which had enraged representatives of the Kurmi community.