Terming the Wednesday night incident where seven judicial officers were gheraoed by protesters over the deletion of names from electoral rolls in Malda district as a “planned attack” by the TMC, the BJP sought the arrest of the accused involved and a fair probe into the matter.

During a press conference held by Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and state BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya, the latter said: “What happened in Malda has crossed all the limits.This is a planned attack to break the connection between north and south Bengal.”

Adhikari claimed that the gherao and violence in Kaliachak was orchestrated from the “top level of the TMC in Kolkata under the leadership of CM Mamata Banerjee”, with local leader Sabina Yeasmin executing the plan on the ground.

“Efforts are being made to obstruct this (SIR) process — conducted as per Supreme Court directives — by creating religious divisions and disrupting administrative and constitutional procedures,” alleged Bhattacharya.

“There has been a silent demographic invasion. Fake currency is being distributed, making Murshidabad an epicentre,” he said.

“We don’t have any issues with Indian Muslims. Wednesday’s incident was a planned attempt to incite riots. The lower judiciary is under threat. We are the only political party that has said infiltration must be stopped. Only Indians should be on the electoral roll,” Bhattacharya added.

Alleging that the judiciary is under threat, Adhikari said: “The judiciary has been continuously under attack in Bengal. It has faced a ‘threat culture’”.

“The TMC leaders have started attacking the Supreme Court. What happened in Malda is a continuation of this kind of behaviour by the TMC,” he added.

Describing the Malda incident as “organised crime” while alleging the involvement of local TMC leadership, Adhikari demanded “immediate arrest of those involved and a fair investigation”. Adhikari specifically named Yeasmin as the “primary architect of implementation” of the alleged plan at the district level.

“Sabina Yeasmin, Minister of State of North Bengal Development of West Bengal, was given charge to orchestrate this attack. The entire plan was made by the TMC in Kolkata. This is an alarming situation. I demand that Yeasmin and others be arrested,” Adhikari said.

“Evidence was also tampered with during the RG Kar incident. Those anti-nationals should be questioned,” he added.

He also raised concerns about illegal infiltration, demographic changes in border areas, and security-related issues, stating that a “silent demographic invasion” has been ongoing for a long time, impacting the state’s social and administrative structure. Meanwhile, veteran politician and TMC MLA Kanai Mondal joined the BJP on Thursday. He has served as the MLA for Nabagram in Murshidabad district for three consecutive terms, representing CPI(M) from 2011-2021 and TMC since 2021. A senior BJP leader described his joining “as significant for strengthening the BJP’s organisational base in north Bengal, especially in Murshidabad”.

Meanwhile in New Delhi, the BJP said “jungle raj” was prevalent in West Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that stones were hurled at the vehicle in which the judicial officers were travelling. They were held hostage in a state where “neither maa, nor maati, nor manush” are safe, the BJP leader said. “The Supreme Court has today shown a mirror to the Mamata Banerjee government and issued clear directions,” Bhatia said, referring to the apex court’s stance on the incident.­

-With ENS Delhi