Sandeshkhali Unrest: Bengal Police Claims BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari Called Sikh Officer 'Khalistani'; Vows Action

Sandeshkhali Unrest: Bengal Police Claims BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari Called Sikh Officer ‘Khalistani’; Vows Action

Sandeshkhali Unrest: The West Bengal Police said on Tuesday that it was Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari who hurled ‘Khalistani’ slur at a Sikh police officer. The police also added that strict legal action is being initiated in the matter. The post mentions state’s “Leader of the opposition”.

“We, the West Bengal police fraternity, are outraged to share this video, where one of our own officers was called ‘Khalistani’ by the state’s Leader of the Opposition. His ‘fault’: He is both a proud Sikh, and a capable police officer who was trying to enforce the law,” the police posted on X (previously Twitter).

In a post on X, the police called the act ‘malicious,’ and ‘racial’.

“We unequivocally condemn the unprovoked, unacceptable attack on an individual’s religious beliefs aimed to incite people to take to violence and break the law,” the post further read.

In the video, after apparently being called a “Khalistani”, the Sikh police officer, as per news outlet NDTV, can be heard as saying in an angry tone: “I’m wearing a turban, that’s why you call me a Khalistani? I will take action about this… You cannot attack my religion. I have not said anything about your religion.” Replying to him, a woman is heard yelling, “You do your job… you just butter them up. you are sycophants.”

The incident took place as BJP leaders and workers were marching to North 24 Parganas’ Sandeshkhali village, the village that came to the limelight recently after violence erupted there following allegations of land grabbing, sexual harassment, and gangrape against some local leaders belonging to West Bengal’s ruling TMC. The BJP march was reportedly led by West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition (LoP), Suvendu Adhikari.