Kolkata: Barrackpore BJP MLA Kaustav Bagchi once again faced protests from a section of his party workers at his own constituency on Saturday morning after attempting to shut down an alleged illegal gas trade and gambling den at Lalkuthi in Barrackpore a day before. Acting on the MLA’s instructions, police arrested four people allegedly involved in the illegal gas business. However, local BJP netas and workers, led by Mandal president Sanjay Yadav, surrounded Bagchi, raised “go back” slogans and staged protests against him. Police later intervened and brought the situation under control.The protesters led by Yadav accused the MLA of moving around with people allegedly accused in the murder of BJP neta Manish Shukla while distributing sarees among Chhath Puja devotees on Saturday.Bagchi was also involved in a heated exchange with the protesters, including Yadav. The MLA claimed that the demonstration was a fallout of his crackdown on illegal gas trading and satta (betting) dens in the area.“The illegal businesses were being run by Pawan Roy, an accused in the Manish Shukla murder case, with the support of Sanjay Yadav who has a criminal past. They are angry because I have shut down their illegal businesses. Let them do whatever they want. I will continue doing my job. I will not spare anyone involved in illegal activities. The party will take appropriate action against them. They were all former Trinamool Congress workers,” Bagchi said.“It is good that the MLA is taking action against illegal gas trading and satta dens. But we have information that he is getting such activities carried out through his associates in Titagarh. He is moving around with people accused in the murder of BJP councillor Shukla and engaging in illegal activities in the area,” Yadav alleged.
