Kumbhirgram airport in Cachar district on Thursday witnessed an unprecedented scene of push and shove between Trinamool Congress MPs and the Assam Police. Police detained the eight-member Trinamool Congress team at the airport. Later they were taken to National Institute of Technology (NIT), Silchar guest house and put under house arrest.
The TMC team went to Silchar at the instruction of party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to attend a public convention on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) final draft at Silchar town. Police stopped them at the airport on their arrival saying their visit might create trouble.
The first batch of the delegation comprising six TMC MPs landed at the airport at 1.50 pm from New Delhi and was confined to the VIP lounge of the airport. The second batch of the delegation comprising West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim and TMC MLA Mahua Mitra landed at the airport from Kolkata at 3.30 pm. They were also stopped from exiting the airport.
Immediately after the arrival of the first batch of Trinamool Congress leaders, the TMC parliamentarians got involved into push and shove with the police to come out of the airport and proceed to the town.
As soon as the delegation of Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Ratna De Nag, Nadimul Haque, Arpita Ghosh and Mamata Thakur landed at the airport, the administration stopped them from exiting the airport.
Later, West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim and TMC legislator Mahua Mitra were also stopped by Assam Police after their arrival from Kolkata.
The Cachar district administration Wednesday night issued prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC and banned entry of any person not involved with the NRC process in the district.
The TMC team is scheduled to arrive at Guwahati on Friday to meet intellectuals and prominent residents of Assam.
On Wednesday, West Bengal Chief Minsiter Mamata Banerjee held talks in Delhi with opposition leaders over the strategy on taking on the BJP.
TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray told Northeast Now that they would not go back and instead stay overnight at the airport. Sources within the TMC also informed that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee might land at Kumbhirgram airport on Friday.
Sources told Northeast Now that lunches are being arranged for the TMC leaders from the Silchar circuit house and after that they will be sent back to Kolkata.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has issued strict instruction to maintain law and order during a meeting with the top police officials at Dispur. Reacting to the incident at the Kumbhirgram airport, DGP Kula Saikia also said that police would not tolerate deterioration of law and order. He also said that a woman police received injuries during the scuffle with the TMC leaders at the airport.