‘Devi Nagar’ sparks protests in Bhatkal: Allegations shift from street board to mosque's legality
Bhatkal: Protests continued for third day on Tuesday regarding the installation of a Devinagar board outside the Makkah Masjid at Second Cross on Jali Road here under Jali Patan Panchayat limits in Bhatkal. However, authorities did not grant permission for the installation. Protesters were directed to submit a written memorandum to the Jali Panchayat, which would then decide on the matter.
The controversy arose when, on Sunday, a stone board outside the Makkah Masjid was painted and rewritten as "Devi Nagar," with an attached pole. Mosque representatives alleged that Sangh Parivar workers intentionally sought to hoist saffron flags outside the mosque, a move they vehemently opposed. Subsequently, the pole was removed early Monday morning under police supervision.
Expressing their dissatisfaction, Sangh Parivar workers gathered outside the mosque to protest the pole's removal. Police convinced the protesters to disperse, assuring them of a meeting on Tuesday morning at the Tahsildar office to express their views.
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In a meeting with Jali Panchayat councilors chaired by the Tehsildar on Tuesday morning, it was decided not to permit any board or pole installation outside the mosque. During the meeting it was decided to maintain status quo at the site. Panchayat members also emphasized the potential political motives behind creating tension in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections, urging the police and authorities to thwart such efforts.
Despite the agreed-upon meeting, BJP workers insisting on installing the board gathered outside Makkah Masjid and protested again. They expressed a desire to write "Devi Nagar" at a visible height without hoisting a flag. As they attempted to install the board, the police intervened, leading to verbal clashes. Tehsildar Tippe Swamy, Additional SP CT Jayakumar, Bhatkal DySP Shrikant, and other senior police officials were present during the confrontation.
Additional SP CT Jayakumar urged the protesters to submit their demands in writing or through a memorandum to the Tehsildar and the Panchayat. In response, Sangh Parivar and BJP workers, present during the incident, argued that the mosque's construction alongside a madrassa was illegal, calling for legal action against it.
Failing in their attempt to install the board, protesters marched to the Jalipatan Panchayat office, submitting a memorandum to the chief officer. The memorandum claimed the mosque's illegality, demanding legal action. Meanwhile, BJP leaders held a press conference near the Jali Panchayat, threatening action against other allegedly illegal buildings within its limits if the board installation was not allowed.
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Mamata urges electors to cast vote to take revenge for deletion of people's names from rolls
Samserganj (WB) (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday urged people to cast their votes to take revenge for the deletion of people's names from the electoral rolls.
The Trinamool Congress chief urged people whose names have been deleted from the voter list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to move appeals before the tribunal.
Addressing an election rally at Samserganj, which was the epicentre of violence during the protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Muslim-majority Murshidabad district in April 2025, she said, "Cast your votes to take revenge for deletion of people's names, and against the SIR so that the results reflect that."
Banerjee asked the TMC workers to remain vigilant till the counting date on May 4. Assembly polls in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29.
In an apparent reference to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Banerjee alleged that he was behind the deletion of voters' names in West Bengal during the SIR exercise.
"If you have the guts, fight directly," she said.
Asking all the TMC workers to remain vigilant during the election period, Banerjee said, "I hope none of our booth agents will sell themselves off to the BJP, in the interest of West Bengal."
Claiming that EVM machines will be made to malfunction at some places, the TMC chief instructed party workers not to allow EC officials to repair the machines and instead demand replacements.
Speaking at the rally in support of Mohammed Nur Alam in Samserganj and Mohammed Amirul Islam in Farakka, Banerjee accused the BJP of spreading canards against her that she did not do much for the interest of the Muslims, maintaining that she has fought hard against the implementation of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
Murshidabad witnessed violence during the implementation of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, leading to the death of some persons including a father-son duo who were hacked to death by a mob, with the BJP accusing the TMC of engineering violent agitations in various parts of the district.
Claiming that development work has stalled owing to the assembly polls, she said, "They (EC) have transferred nearly 500 officers, but this is only for a month; work will begin again after that."
The chief minister accused the EC of "deleting names of some, while intimidating some others", in the name of SIR of electoral rolls.
Banerjee asked why the assembly polls could not be conducted with the same electoral rolls used in the 2024 general elections.
"If the voter list contained names of infiltrators, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister also won with their votes earlier, so they should have resigned first," she said.
Claiming that she and her party will never allow the establishment of detention camps in the name of NRC, Banerjee said, "That is why you are being vengeful against me."
She sought to remind that the Election Commission's authority over the state's administration is till completion of the election process.
The chief minister asked why several senior officers of her government, who were earlier replaced from their positions by the EC, were being sent to the assembly poll-bound Tamil Nadu.
Banerjee alleged that officers who are relatives of BJP leaders have been deputed in West Bengal.
She claimed that during the TMC rule, youths from among the minority community and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes got better education opportunities and made it to the IAS, IPS and WBPS cadre and also became doctors and engineers.
"The society is advancing, but the jealous BJP people cannot stand this," the TMC chief said.
Banerjee assured people that women will receive lifelong financial benefits under Lakshmir Bhandar scheme if the TMC returns to power for a fourth consecutive term.
"We will find livelihood opportunities for those registered under Banglar Yuba Sathi," she said about the newly launched scheme to provide monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 each to the jobless youths in the state.
