Controversy over Sikh man's turban being pulled erupts as BJP slams WB govt; cops clarify
A major controversy erupted on Friday over the police allegedly assaulting a Sikh man and pulling his turban during a BJP rally in Howrah in West Bengal.
- India News
- 3 min read
A major controversy erupted on Friday over the police allegedly assaulting a Sikh man and pulling his turban during a BJP rally in Howrah in West Bengal. However, the police said the person was carrying a firearm and that his headgear "had fallen off automatically in the scuffle that ensued".
'It is never our intention...'
The BJP, whose protest march to the state secretariat Nabanna on Thursday witnessed clashes with police, accused the CM Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress government of hurting the sentiments of Sikhs.
After the visuals of the incident went viral, the West Bengal tweeted Friday, "The concerned person was carrying firearms in yesterday's protest. The Pagri had fallen off automatically in the scuffle that ensued, without any attempt to do so by our officer. It is never our intention to hurt the sentiments of any community."
The concerned person was carrying firearms in yesterday's protest. The Pagri had fallen off automatically in the scuffle that ensued,without any attempt to do so by our officer (visible in the video attached). It is never our intention to hurt the sentiments of any community(1/2) pic.twitter.com/aE8UgN36W5
— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) October 9, 2020
According to PTI, the man was identified as 43-year-old Balwinder Singh, a resident of Bhatinda. Singh, a former soldier of the Indian Army, currently works as a private security officer hired by a BJP leader, the party leadership claimed. According to the police, a loaded pistol was recovered from him. The licence of the pistol is valid till January next year. It also said that the police officer concerned had asked him to "put his turban back before the arrest".
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West Bengal Police respects all religions. The officer specifically asked him to put his Pagri back before the arrest. The attached photo has been clicked right before he was escorted to the Police Station. We remain committed to our duty to uphold law and order in the state(2/2) pic.twitter.com/BnTWztfDGW
— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) October 9, 2020
'Such policemen should be punished!'
Reacting to the incident, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said even brave soldiers who had served the nation are not spared in the TMC's regime and demanded severe punishment of the guilty policemen.
"Security personnel Balwinder Singh was beaten by the West Bengal Police on the road and insulted his turban; he is a capable soldier! He has also done several military courses! The humiliation of such brave people is sad in Mamata Raj. Such policemen should be punished!" he said in a tweet in Hindi.
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सुरक्षाकर्मी बलविंदर सिंह को पश्चिम बंगाल पुलिस ने सड़क पर पीटा और उसकी पगड़ी को अपमानित किया, वो सक्षम जवान है! उसने कई सैन्य कोर्स भी किए हैं!
— Kailash Vijayvargiya (@KailashOnline) October 9, 2020
ममता राज में ऐसे जांबाज का अपमान दु:खद है। ऐसे पुलिसवालों को सजा दी जाना चाहिए! pic.twitter.com/M1J8S7R9Yn
Yeh tasweer dekhke mai stabdh hoon !! Agar yeh kiya hai Bengal police ne (Sab kehe rehe hain ke yeh sach hai) toh unki exemplary saaza honi chahiye aur @TajinderBagga Bhai, mai aapse yeh kahunga ke iss ghatna ko lekar aap Court jaiye #FaltuDidirPaltuPolice #BanglarLojjaMamata https://t.co/YBQDT1TSxr
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) October 9, 2020
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), too, demanded that Mamata Banerjee take action against the policemen responsible for the attack on Balwinder Singh, who has been sent to police custody till Monday.
कलकत्ता में सेक्युरिटी ऑफिसर बलविंदर सिंह की पगड़ी खींचकर, सड़क पर घसीट कर बर्बर तरीके से पीटा जाना बेहद शर्मनाक और निंदनीय है@MamataOfficial जी से हमारी माँग- दोषी पुलिसवालों के खिलाफ 295A मुकदमा का दर्ज किया जाये और सख़्त सजा दी जाये@ANi @TimesNow @republic @ABPNews pic.twitter.com/BKWkS7Hcyv
— #Istandwithfarmers Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) October 9, 2020
Senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim termed the allegations "baseless" and said that "law will take its own course". "We are not like BJP, we respect all religions, caste, creed," Hakim said.
Parts of Kolkata and adjoining Howrah resembled a battle zone on Thursday as BJP workers and supporters clashed with police, hurling stones and blocking roads with burning tyres, to protest a string of killings of saffron party workers. Police personnel in riot gear burst teargas shells, beat up agitators and used water cannons to break up the protests which are still raging in Kolkata and Howrah.
(with PTI inputs)