Police file FIRs against Congress workers, Adhir Chowdhury defiant

The police today registered FIRs against 1200 Congress workers in connection to yesterday's vandalism in the Murshidabad district magistrate's office here, in presence of union minister Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, even as the minister remained defiant saying nothing had happened.

Murshidabad SP Humayun Kabir told reporters here that FIRs have been lodged against 1200 Congress workers who went on a rampage in the DM's office.

Asked if the minister's name figured in any of the FIRs, the SP refused to divulge saying, it involved an union minister. Congress workers yesterday smashed flower pots, pulled down a sun shed and threw brickbats breaking the windscreen of a vehicle as Chowdhury was seen standing on the bonnet of a jeep, apparently trying to pacify the demonstrators who were holding a sit-in demonstration, protesting against the death of a party worker.

Chowdhury, who was present during the demonstration, which turned violent, said, "It was expected that a case will be filed against me. Earlier also I had faced a number of charges. I tried to pacify the irate mob. Everybody witnessed the role played by me. It was appreciated by local officials." Chowdhury, who stuck to his yesterday's statement that nothing had happened said, the PCC president, the CLP leader and three MPs had gone to submit a memorandum to DM Rajiv Kumar, but were told that the DM was having his lunch.

"How dare the DM refused to meet the delegation"? he asked.

PCC president Pradip Bhattacharjee reiterated that the DM did not come (to meet them) and no Congress worker was involved in vandalism.

The Trinamool Congress today condemned the incident, saying the Prime Minister should take action against the union minister.

Senior TMC leader Sultan Ahmed said, "This is not a new thing for Adhir Chowdhury to do all illegal things. He led the group yesterday. The PM should take action against him."

The Election Commission should take note of it and debar Chowdhury from entering the district wherein the Rejinagar by-election is slated for February 23, he added.