Kolkata, July 26 -- ISF MLA Nawsad Siddique on Saturday criticised Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's remarks on the accused in Friday's violence during the NEET question paper leak protest, alleging that a particular community was being deliberately targeted.
"Former Chief Minister confused people over Friday, and the present Chief Minister also spoke about that Friday. Bring an amendment and remove Friday if you have so much problem. A whole community is being repeatedly attacked. This is not right," Siddique said.
He, however, condemned the attack on journalists. "The Chief Minister himself has said the students did not attack anyone. We do not want journalists to be assaulted and strongly condemn it," he added.
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty also objected to the Chief Minister's repeated use of the term "Shukrabari", calling it an attack on a particular community. He said those responsible for the violence should be punished after a transparent investigation but communal hatred should not be fuelled.
The Opposition also questioned the government's decision to invoke the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026, against those accused in the Dorina Crossing violence. Adhikari has said around 70 people had been identified, none of them students, and warned of stringent action under the law.
TMC MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay condemned the attack on journalists but questioned whether invoking such a stringent law was necessary, saying existing legal provisions were adequate. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh termed the move "excessive", warning it could deter people from participating in future protests.
Amid questions over the alleged links of some accused with TMC leaders, Ghosh said the party had supported the Delhi protest but did not participate in Friday's Kolkata march, having organised a separate rally on Saturday. The accused, he said, could be "newly emerged good TMC" members and the matter should be investigated.
Ghosh said he had "always condemned and will continue to condemn" attacks on journalists, while urging the media to remain neutral. Referring to an earlier incident in which eggs were thrown at him outside Mamata Banerjee's residence, he said sections of the media had described it as "public anger".
TMC MP Derek O'Brien alleged that the new law was being used as a "political weapon" to intimidate the Opposition and suppress peaceful dissent, comparing it to the alleged misuse of central agencies by the BJP.
The controversy follows Friday's violence at Dorina Crossing during a protest demanding former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, in which bottles, shoes and stones were allegedly hurled, several journalists were assaulted and RAF personnel were deployed to restore order.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.