'Khalistani remark' heat: Representatives of Sikh community meet chief secretary Gopalika
Telegraph | 27 February 2024
The representatives of the Sikh community on Monday met chief secretary B.P. Gopalika and urged him to take action against the leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and some other BJP leaders for their alleged Khalistani remark directed at a turbanned IPS officer.
The representatives did not speak after the meeting held at Nabanna.
However, sources in the know said the meeting lasted for about 15 minutes.
The chief secretary reportedly assured the delegation that the Bengal government would initiate all possible steps to maintain harmony in the state.
Recently, the Sikh community also met governor C.V. Ananda Bose and urged him to do the needful on the issue.
The issue of IPS officer Jaspreet Singh being allegedly called a Khalistani by some BJP leaders led by BJP Nandigram MLA Adhikari during their trip to troubled Sandeshkhali last week has become one of the major political issues in the state, with Trinamul supremo and Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her party colleagues taking it up.
However, Adhikari has denied making any such comment directed at the IPS officer.
State moves HC
In a related development, the state government on Monday moved Calcutta High Court to plead for allowing it to file a case against Adhikari for his alleged remark directed at Singh during the agitation that took place when he was stopped by the police from heading towards Sandeshkhali last week.
More recently, however, Adhikari was allowed to visit Sandeshkhali following a high court order.
Justice Jay Sengupta of Calcutta High Court will hear the case virtually on Tuesday.