Subhojit Ghosh, an activist of Bengali nationalist group Bangla Pokkho, was arrested on Wednesday in north Kolkata on the charges of promoting enmity between communities (Section 153A Indian Penal Code), assertion against national integration (153B IPC), criminal conspiracy (120B) and criminal intimidation, Mr. Ghosh’s lawyer Uttam Ghosh said.
The activist accused a particular community in a national television channel of hoarding and selling consumables at a higher price and making huge profit taking advantage of the COVID-19 crisis in the city. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) immediately distanced itself from his comment and blamed the television channel for connecting the comment to it.
“@republic Disappointing that fringe individual ideas are masqueraded as party views. We strongly object to such comments. Bengal is 2nd home for the Marwari community. AITC believes in preserving an all-inclusive Bengali culture where every community has an equal stake in it,” the TMC tweeted from its handle. Mr. Ghosh is remanded in police custody till April 27.
