Kolkata, July 26 -- Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday alleged that an extremist, foreign-backed conspiracy was behind the recent violence in Dharmatala and the assault on journalists.
Speaking at a Kargil Vijay Diwas programme in Nandigram, Adhikari said genuine NEET aspirants had no role in the violence and claimed journalists were attacked after alleged miscreants infiltrated a march organised by the "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP).
"Seven cases have been registered on complaints filed by assaulted journalists and 14 identified miscreants have been arrested," he said, reiterating that the accused would face action under the new Goonda Act.
Adhikari claimed genuine NEET protesters had condemned the attacks on social media and disowned responsibility for the violence. He further alleged that the Left later joined the CJP march and that "extremist Jamaat and fundamentalist forces" exploited the situation to create unrest.
Drawing a comparison with the previous government, he alleged that journalists were attacked during the 2023 panchayat polls, the 2022 civic elections, and protests in Bhangar, Sandeshkhali and RG Kar, but no action was taken.
"We do not merely describe the media as the fourth pillar of democracy. We demonstrate it through action," he said, adding that he had visited SSKM Hospital after the incident and that the government's assurances encouraged journalists to lodge FIRs.
Claiming the arrests were based on video evidence, Adhikari said none of the 14 accused was a student and alleged they were habitual offenders linked to a "fundamentalist conspiracy" to weaken India.
He attributed the violence to resentment over what he called the government's "nationalist administrative decisions" over the past 10 weeks, including scrutiny of Khariji madrasas and their funding, implementation of court-directed cancellation of allegedly illegal OBC certificates, stricter enforcement of the 1950 animal slaughter law and measures to curb noise pollution.
Asked about the alleged Trinamool Congress links of one accused, Afroz, Adhikari accused the Opposition of appeasing Jamaat forces and said the state would be freed of criminals through due legal process.
At the programme, Adhikari paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and soldiers who died in the Kargil War. He also backed the proposed Public Examinations Bill, 2026, saying the Centre had adopted a zero-tolerance policy against question-paper leaks and examination fraud through stringent penalties and fast-track proceedings.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.