Bengal BJP MP urges Amit Shah to seek report on use of chemicals to disperse protestors

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Locket Chatterjee has urged Union home minister Amit Shah to seek a report from the Mamata Banerjee administration in Bengal over the alleged use of “harmful chemicals” to disperse the crowd during a political protest rally on October 8.

In her letter, the MP also alleged that such chemical weapons were used in China to gag the Opposition and were new to India.

“The people of Bengal will be highly grateful to you if you could kindly seek a report from the state government regarding the use of chemicals in water cannons to disperse the crowd,” Chatterjee wrote to Shah.

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Earlier too the BJP had alleged the Kolkata Police had sprayed water mixed with chemicals during the Nabanna Cholo rally organised by the party to protest against political killings in the state.

The state government, however, refuted such allegations saying that it was coloured water, which is used globally.

“No chemical was used in the cannon water; it is wrong information. The intent to use coloured water is to identify a person post-dispersal for further necessary action as per the law if deemed fit and if required,” Alapan Bandopadhyay, chief secretary of the state had told media persons.

The letter sent by Chatterjee also states that the police had used bombs, tear gas and lathis to disperse the ‘peaceful crowd’. It also mentions the allegend manhandling of Balwinder Singh.

“The chemical that was used by the police as a tool to identify protestors made people sick and breathless. This was a very similar sight to that of China where political opponents are gagged and are stopped by chemical weapons and are not allowed to protest against the atrocities of the ruling regime,” the MP wrote in her letter to the Union home minister.