BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla Criticizes West Bengal Government Over Harassment Incident in Siliguri

New Delhi [India], September 27: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized the TMC-led West Bengal government on Friday over the harassment of two young men in Siliguri, West Bengal. He questioned the law and order situation in the state.

In a self-made video, Poonawalla said, “The people who speak about the Constitution all the time should answer that when Biharis go to Bengal, why are they being beaten? Is there no law and order left in Bengal? Is the Constitution not implemented there?”

This statement came after a video went viral on social media, showing two youths sleeping in a room when a group of miscreants entered and asked if they understood Bengali. When one student replied that they couldn’t, the miscreants began questioning them aggressively, claiming they shouldn’t be taking exams in other states. One student tried to explain that they were assigned to the Siliguri exam center but was repeatedly asked to show his documents. The group, claiming to be from the IB, harassed the youth.

Poonawalla also criticized Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav for his silence on the incident, noting that Yadav had campaigned with Mamata Banerjee during the election. “Tejashwi Yadav, who went to Bengal and campaigned with Mamata Banerjee, should answer what the government of West Bengal is doing… The West Bengal calls the people of UP-Bihar as ‘Bahari’ (outsiders)…”

He further targeted the INDIA bloc in his video, accusing its members of using infiltrators as ‘vote banks’. “This is one country with one constitution. Rahul Gandhi carried the Bharat Jodo Yatra. West Bengal, a part of the INDI Alliance, speaks of the Constitution, and then they will beat Indians, but not Rohingyas. The infiltrators are used as a vote bank,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bagdogra police under Siliguri Police Commemorate arrested two people on Thursday for allegedly threatening and harassing the two young men from Bihar. The accused, Rajat Bhattacharya and Giridhari Roy, residents of Siliguri, are linked to Bangla Pokkho, a pro-Bengali advocacy organization. DCP of Siliguri Police, Biswachand Thakur, announced that the two accused were arrested following a complaint. “On the basis of a complaint, two persons were arrested by Bagdogra police on Thursday evening on the charge of threatening and harassing two youths claiming to be police officers. Further investigation is underway,” Thakur said.