Mukul Roy jumps to Mamata's defence

Railway Minister Mukul Roy on Saturday said that the man arrested from Mamata Banerjee's rally at Belphari in Jungle Mahal did not ask any questions but was bent on disturbing the chief minister's meeting and was drunk.

"He tried to disturb the meeting in Belpahari, which is a Maoist-prone area. He broke the barricade in the Z-plus security zone. He was drunk and pushed police officers and women and used threatening language," said Roy.

"Anyone has a right to ask questions. But he did not ask any questions. He was just shouting. I was present there," Roy said.

The railway minister said that the man also resisted his detention and did not give his correct identity.

"He said his name was Durjodhon Mahato. But later, it was found during investigations by the police that his name was Siladitya Chowdhury. Why did he not give his name correctly," he asked.

Roy, stopping short of calling the man a Maoist, said, "He is a criminal trespasser. He had criminal intentions. He is among those who are bent on creating trouble and does not believe in parliamentary democracy."

He also said that no one had objected when the man was detained.

Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Derek O' Brien said there was no instruction to the police from the CM's office to arrest the man.

"The police are doing its duty and the law will take its own course. In this highly sensitive Maoist zone, security was keeping a close watch on the crowd when they noticed the man, along with six or seven others, continuously heckling the CM and also preventing them from discharging their duties and attempting to disturb the peace at the rally," O'Brien said.

He said that the man was detained, questioned and allowed to go. On Saturday afternoon, after further investigations, he was arrested.