Ram Navami Violence: Union Minister Babul Supriyo Threatens To “Skin” People Alive, Booked For Rioting, Assault

Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises in the Union Council of Ministers Babul Supriyo on Thursday threatened to “skin” some people alive who shouted slogans against when he visited his constituency Asansol, one of the areas hit by Ram Navami communal violence in West Bengal.

As per media reports, Supriyo was on his way to a relief camp in Kalyanpur, in Asansol, when he was stopped by the police yesterday. An FIR was lodged against the BJP leader for allegedly violating Section 144 (unlawful assembly) of the CrPC and assaulting an IPS officer (Section 353 of IPC – assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), a non-bailable offence.

He was also booked under IPC Sections 146, 147, 148 (rioting).

As some people approached him, news channels showed Supriyo telling them, “Aami ki apnader ke bolbo lorai koro? Ami chole jabo, apnader opor goli cholbe (Will I ask you to fight? I will leave and you will come under fire),” reported The Indian Express.

But when a person asked him to “go back” and leave them alone, Supriyo was heard shouting, “Chamra guthiye debo ekdom… (Will skin them alive).”

When contacted, Supriyo told The Indian Express: “There were two-three miscreants belonging to the TMC who were trying to create panic. They were shouting slogans against me while I was trying to meet the victims. I stopped my vehicle when I saw two elderly women weeping. They wanted to meet me and were talking about police inaction in the area… The miscreants pushed away the women… The police should have driven away the miscreants, but targeted me instead. If I said ‘chamra guthiye debo (will skin alive)’, it was out of pure anger targeted at those miscreants.”

Supriyo has been alleging assault by TMC members and mishandling by police on his Twitter profile too.

https://twitter.com/SuPriyoBabul/status/979573636712534016

Caught Red-faced, the police tried 2 convince me to sit in car & go? WHY?Am I a coward 2 flee?Isnt it my duty 2 reach out 2 people frm my constituency who elected me?From 26th onwards I ws shuffling betwn Asansol/Ranigunj/Kolkata &saw wid my own eyes HOW TRUE the allegations were

— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) March 30, 2018

The minister has also purportedly filed a complaint against Rupesh Kumar (IPS) of West Bengal police under charges of assault.

Senior TMC leader and Mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation, Jitendra Tiwari, accused Supriyo of trying to disturb peace in the area. “When Raniganj was burning, he was relaxing in a hotel. Now, they are trying to create trouble. This is not the time to do politics. I request them to let the police do their work,” he said.

For nearly a week, several parts of West Bengal are hit by communal violence started during Ram Navami. At least four people have died and many others injured, including the police.

The violence started when right-wing groups took out armed rallies. Ram Navami rally in West Bengal’s Purulia district on March 25 saw several people, including minor girls and boys walking with sharp weapons like swords and knives.

Despite about five policemen getting injured in Ranigunj and violence escalating in Murshidabad due to clashes between BJP and TMC supporters, another rally was taken out in Asansol on March 28.