BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh’s house in Kharagpur was allegedly vandalised on Wednesday by members of a Kurmi outfit, which has been demanding his apology claiming that he insulted the community. Members of the Adivasi Kurmi Samaj Purulia Zilla Committee, armed with flags and placards, allegedly broke window panes and doors of the BJP leader’s rented accommodation in the city, as per a report by news agency PTI.
A team of police personnel later reached the spot and removed the protestors, said an official to the news agency.
The protestors alleged that the saffron party leader made certain unwarranted remarks about the community after he got stuck in traffic in Jhargram due to a demonstration by the community over their demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
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Meanwhile, Ghosh claimed that he supports Kurmis in their demand for ST status and alleged that the Trinamool Congress was behind the vandalism.
"I have supported the Kurmis in their demand for ST status. The TMC is trying to divert attention from the issue by misinterpreting my statements. TMC activists, disguised as Kurmis, attacked my residence," he alleged.
The TMC, however, denied Ghosh’s allegations and said that he should apologise for hurting sentiments.
"These are baseless allegations. He should apologise for hurting the sentiments of the Kurmi community," TMC's Paschim Medinipur district leader Ajit Maity said.
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The report stated that it was not immediately known if any arrests were made in connection with the vandalism.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government is deliberating writing to the Centre on granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Kurmi community, a senior official said on Wednesday, as per another PTI report.
Last month, several organisations of the Kurmi community had staged a protest for more than three days and blocked railway tracks and roads demanding the inclusion of the Kurmi community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
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