BJP MP stopped from visiting village on India-Bangladesh border

BJP MP Sukanta Majumder was on Thursday stopped by police when he was on the way to distribute relief materials among Indian citizens living in Hili, a village located on the other side of the barbed-wire fencing of the India-Bangladesh border. Majumder, the Lok Sabha MP from Balurghat, told reporters that he intimated South Dinajpur district authorities on Wednesday that he will distribute relief materials among the Indian citizens living on the other side of the barbed-wire fencing, and claimed he was given permission.

However, he was stopped by police at Mangalpur crossing in Balurghat town on the way to Hili, Majumder said. He alleged that the senior police officer present at the spot did not produce any order which prohibited his visit, and could not explain why Trinamool Congress leader Arpita Ghosh was allowed to visit the same area a day back.

Even the request of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to the officer to allow him to go to Hili was ignored as he called up Raj Bhavan, the MP said, alleging that he waited for two hours at the spot before returning. Ghosh claimed she had followed all procedures for visiting the border area which was probably not done by Majumder.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Dhiman Mitra said they did not have any written intimation about the BJP MP's visit to the border. District Magistrate Nikhil Nirmal refused to comment.

PTI CORR SUS SOM SOM.