Smarting from the BJP’s success in reaching Sandeshkhali on Tuesday despite repeated legal and administrative hurdles put up by the Trinamool Congress Government, the ruling party grabbed at a purported remark by the BJP’s Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to hit back. Adhikari denied making the remark and challenged Mamata Banerjee and her police to prove the charge.
IPS officer Jaspreet Singh of the 2016 batch, who along with his team was deputed at Dhamakhali and had put up barricades to stop Adhikari and his party workers from visiting Sandeshkhali located just across Kalindi River, was heard protesting the slur.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee released a clip on X showing a stand-off between the BJP leaders and the police at Dhamakhali where Suvendu Adhikari purportedly referred to the Sikh IPS officer as a “Khalistani”. It was promptly shared by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who condemned the BJP. “The poison of hatred has blinded them [BJP] so much that they can neither see a farmer, a jawan or respect an officer in khaki. The country is with IPS Jaspreet Singh,” he wrote on X.
The BJP hit back, saying the custodians of law and order in West Bengal had reduced themselves to being “doormats of the ruling TMC”. In her post, Mamata Banerjee said the BJP’s “divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries”, and condemned the “audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of Sikhs, revered for their sacrifices and unwavering determination to our nation”.
The West Bengal Police also released a video alleging that it was BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari who used the “Khalistani” slur against Singh when the police stopped the delegation from proceeding towards the ferry ghat.
Supratim Sarkar, the recently appointed Director-General of Police (South Bengal), too held a press conference in which he said: “Enough is enough. This cannot be condoned. Strictest legal action will be taken against the culprits.”
In a series of posts on X, the West Bengal Police said, “We, the West Bengal Police fraternity, are outraged to share this video, where one of our own officers was called ‘Khalistani’ by the state’s Leader of the Opposition. His ‘fault’: he is both a proud Sikh, and a capable police officer who was trying to enforce the law.”
“This comment is as much malicious and racial as it is communally inciting. It is a criminal act. We unequivocally condemn the unprovoked, unacceptable attack on an individual’s religious identity and beliefs aimed to incite people to violence and break the law,” the post read.
The video shows Suvendu Adhikari standing in the huddle along with other BJP leaders as a police team blocked their way and then suddenly the words “eta hochhe Khalistani” (he is a Khalistani) is heard.
In the video, Jaspreet Singh, who is posted as a Special Superintendent of Police (Intelligence Bureau) with West Bengal Police, can be heard saying: “Because I am wearing a turban, you’re saying this. If I was not wearing a turban, would you have called me Khalistani? You can say what you want about the police, but you can’t comment on my religion.”
However, the video did not show the part where the Sikh cop was purportedly called a “Khalistani” and it could not be ascertained if Suvendu Adhikari uttered the contentious word.
Adhikari pointed fingers at the officer instead. “Why would we say Pakistani-Khalistani? That officer had misbehaved (with us). He is trying to impress the CM. Neither me, nor anyone with me, has said anything to hurt any religion.