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Alapan Bandopadhyay, Chief Secretary of West Bengal, in a letter to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, wrote that he has been directed to request to "dispense with the presence of the state officials" in the meeting convened on December 14.
The development comes after Governor Jagdeep Dhankar wrote to the Centre regarding the declining law and order situation in the state following which the Union Home Ministry summoned the two top officials.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) called the Union Home Ministry’s move unconstitutional and alleged the Union Government for interfering with the federal structure.
JP Nadda Convoy attack in West Bengal | 10 Developments
1. West Bengal’s chief secretary on Friday informed the Union Home Ministry that he along with other state officials will not visit Delhi in compliance with the summons issued to them as the state government took a defiant stand in the wake of an attack on the convoy of BJP president JP Nadda in Kolkata on Thursday.
2. Alapan Bandopadhyay through a letter informed the centre that the state government is already addressing the issue with “utmost seriousness”. Three cases have been filed for the attack and seven persons have been arrested.
3. Quashing the reports of inadequate security arrangements for BJP Chief JP Nadda, Bandopadhyay further mentioned that Nadda who has been granted Z-Plus security by the Central Government was provided with a bulletproof vehicle and to oversee his security a DIG along with four SPs, eight Deputy SPs, 14 inspectors, 70 sub-inspectors, 40 RAF personnel, 259 constables and 350 other forces were deployed by the State Government.
4. Governor of West Bengal following the attack on the BJP Chief sent a report to the Union Government which stated that the law and order situation in the state has become worse. He also alleged that violators of law in Bengal have the protection of police and administration.
5. The Governor pulled up West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her repeated remarks calling the BJP a party of outsiders and asked her to abstain from such politics as it would weaken the national fabric. He also advised the CM “not to play with fire”.
6. Refuting to the Union Home Ministry summons TMC called the move unconstitutional The ruling party in the state reacted strongly to the developments and accused the BJP of trying to create a situation where the central government can interfere in matters related to the states.
7. TMC MPs Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee alleged that JP Nadda’s convoy had "convicted criminals" and goons who carried weapons with the intention to instigate violence.
8. Another TMC MP Mohua Mitra targeting BJP said that every "two-bit" leader visiting West Bengal brings their own security who cannot protect them from staged "attacks".
9. Following the attack on BJP Chief on Thursday, the Bengal polices has arrested seven people for their alleged involvement in the attack on BJP national president and have booked them under various sections of the IPC for rioting, obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions and other offences.
10. On Thursday, stones were pelted on the convoy of BJP President JP Nadda, and General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya’s vehicle was ransacked, while the two leaders were on their way to Diamond Harbour to meet party workers for the upcoming Bengal assembly elections in 2021.