Law should be equal for all, Assam govt is biased towards Bengalis, says Sushmita in Pradip Dutta Roy issue

Nov. 27: “Law should be equally applicable for all in the country. I can provide multiple instances where by organising press meet in Assam, Bengali community were castigated and threatened. What action was taken against such persons?” This question was raised by TMC MP Sushmita Dev while reacting to the issue of arrest of Barak Democratic Front leader Pradip Dutta Roy on Saturday.

Sushmita Dev further said, “Had the state government adopted similar measures against those who have threatened the Bengalis of Assam, then it could have said that the government is neutral and has taken equal action against all. But as the government has taken one-sided action, this proves that they are biased. They are treating the two linguistic communities in two ways.”

Cachar Police on Saturday evening arrested Pradip Dutta Roy, Chief Convener of Barak Democratic Front (BDF). Earlier, Mr Dutta Roy was called in by the cops and was interrogated for long hours. His arrest is based on a FIR lodged by Hindu Yuva Parishad at Silchar Sadar Police Station. Confirming this, Ramandeep Kaur, Superintendent of Police Cachar stated that Pradip Dutta Roy has been booked under section 153A, 295, 295A, 120B, 124, 505, 506 of IPC.

Pradip Dutta Roy in the capacity of Chief Convener of BDF allegedly issued strict warning to remove a hoarding written in Assamese within the premises of Goswami Filling Station (Petrol Pump) in Silchar. Following which, the hoarding was replaced by a Bengali one. Dutta Roy citing the Assam official Language (Amendment) Act, 1961 claimed that as Bengali is the official language in the valley, all government posters/ hoardings should be written in Bengali.