Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) The cops of New Market Police Station under the central division of the Kolkata Police, on Monday morning, issued summons to the Member-Mayor in Council of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Baiswanor Chattopadhyay, on charges of heckling and physically assaulting the Corporation’s secretary, Kishore Kumar Biswas on Friday.

A police complaint was lodged by Kishore Kumar Biswas at the New Market Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the KMC Building in central Kolkata comes, against Chattopadhyay, the Trinamool Congress councillor from ward number 81 of the Trinamool-run corporation on Saturday.

On the basis of that complaint, the cops of the New Market police station on Monday issued summons for interrogation to Chattopadhyay, who is also an advocate by profession.

Last Friday, Kolkata Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Smita Pandey, had cancelled the session of the civic body. However, the session went ahead without following the instructions.

KMC Chairperson Mala Roy made it clear that all councillors must be present and the session was held.

However, since the session room of the Municipal Corporation was closed from the inside, the session was held in the visitors’ room.

In the meantime, Trinamool councillors staged a protest at the Councillors’ Club in the Municipal Building. A delegation went to the Municipal Corporation Secretary’s office to demand the opening of the session room. It is learnt that the delegation was led by Baiswanor Chattopadhyay. At that time, there were allegations of indecent behaviour and harassment towards the Secretary.

The Municipal Secretary and the Municipal Corporation Commissioner had filed a complaint with the New Market Police Station. This time, the New Market Police Station has summoned Chattopadhyay in this regard. It is learnt that a notice has been sent to him. The police want to investigate his role in the incident and that is why he has been summoned, sources said.

Regarding the allegations of harassment against the secretary, Chattopadhyay said, “What I wanted to say is that I have freedom of speech, I am a Member-Mayor in Council. I have the rights. I asked them to open the municipal assembly hall. If there is no freedom of speech, if our Mayoral Council does not have the rights of public representatives, then the state of democracy in India is in peril.”

It is worth noting that on Sunday, state Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul had said that harassment or insulting any government official will not be tolerated. She clearly stated that action is being taken against the way the secretary was harassed.

–IANS

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