After protesting assault, actor loses govt posting

Row Bimal worked in food department

Theatre personality Bimal Chakraborty was today transferred from his post in the food department, days after he protested against an assault on shop owners in Baranagar. Chakraborty is yet to get a posting.

On October 2, Chakraborty had gone to the market in north Kolkata and noticed a group of youths — reportedly backed by the Trinamool Congress — assaulting some small fish and vegetable vendors who had joined the CPM rally on October 1. The traders were reportedly not allowed to open their shops in the area.

Chakraborty protested but the group assaulted him. The actor, in turn, lodged a general dairy with the Baranagar police station that day.

Today Chakraborty received an official letter carrying his transfer order to another department of the state government. In that department he is reportedly on "compulsory waiting". When contacted, Chakraborty confirmed that he had received the government order, but denied comment.

Intellectuals today assembled at the Academy of Fine Arts to protest the assault. Film and theatre personalities including Soumitra Chatterjee, Rudraprasad Sengupta, Bibhas Chakraborty, Chandan Sen, Dwijen Bandyopadhyay, Usha Ganguly, Chitra Sen and Ashok Mukhopadhay were present.

Soumitra said, "It is high time that the artiste community stands up against this kind of attack."

Bibhas Chakraborty, who had campaigned for change in the state and was inducted in the railways committee by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said, "I have joined the agitation as I know that whatever has happened with Bimal Chakraborty is wrong. This practice of attacking artistes and their art work for political interests has been happening here for long. But then nobody raised their voice against the wrongdoings."

ALSO READ

Had meeting with Trinamool MPs before leaving state, Sen tells police

Cong rallies demanding CBI probe

Mamata Banerjee to fund election campaign with proceeds of her paintings

Cops take Debjani to Saradha head office, seize documents and hard discs