Bengal BJP MLA threatens to burn down police station "if police officers don't mend their ways"

Stop indulging TMC mayhem in your area, stop arresting BJP activists and common men if they dare to protest the misdeeds of ruling party.

West Bengal BJP MLA Swapan Majumdar courted controversy on Saturday for allegedly threatening to set on fire a police station under his Bongaon South assembly constituency if the officers in the police station ''don't mend their ways.'' Majumdar, who was addressing party workers at a rally in Ashoknagar area in North 24 Parganas district, alleged the Inspector in Charge (IC) and Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the local police station were harassing BJP workers, arresting them and allowing TMC activists in the area to carry on their ''illegal'' activities.

''The IC and OC of Ashoknagar police station listen carefully. Stop indulging TMC mayhem in your area, stop arresting BJP activists and common men if they dare to protest the misdeeds of ruling party. One of our activists had been badly beaten up by TMC members in the area. But you are yet to arrest the offender. We will not tolerate this forever. If you don't mend your ways we will be forced to set the police station on fire one day,'' he said.

Majumdar further alleged that ''if the IC/OC is seen acting as agents of TMC and not acting impartially, beat him up.'' PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video which was telecast on local TV channels showing Majumdar making the statement to cheers by the assembled crowd.

BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said the party does not endorse the words spoken by Majumdar though it should be kept in mind that he had uttered the words out of helplessness as ''police remained mere spectators when BJP supporters were being attacked by TMC and even persecuted BJP activists.'' In sharp contrast no action has been taken against the real offenders TMC, Bhattacharya alleged.

West Bengal Forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick said ''the BJP MLA spoke in a language which is so typical of the saffron party leaders.'' ''BJP believes in loot, arson, vandalisation. Their leaders speak in the language of thug. We are not surprised but people have rejected them. BJP will have a crushing defeat in the coming panchayat polls,'' he said.