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WB: TMC allegedly hijacks Naxalbari couple who offered lunch to Amit Shah

| | May 04, 2017, at 02:33 am
Kolkata, May 3 (IBNS): A Dalit couple of Naxalbari area in West Bengal's Darjeeling district, at whose house BJP president Amit Shah had lunch weeks ago, joined state's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday, reports said.

According to reports, the couple, Raju Mahali and Gita Mahali, and their daughter went untraceable since Tuesday morning and the Mahali couple joined the party on Wednesday noon in presence of state tourism minister Gautam Deb.

A local BJP leader alleged that local TMC leaders had abducted the couple and their daughter and forced them to join the TMC.

"As Raju and Gita Mahali offered lunch to Amit Shah and other BJP leaders, TMC kidnapped them from their house and forced them to join their party," the BJP leader said.

"As they had gone missing since Tuesday morning, we lodged a missing complaint at Naxalbari Police Station at night and also staged demonstration there," the local leader added.

Meanwhile, denying all allegations against them, TMC leaders claimed that the tribal couple were not forced and they joined Trinamool voluntarily.

The Dalit couple also said that they have joined the state's ruling party at their own wish.

A state level leader of BJP told IBNS that they are sending a report regarding the matter to Amit Shah.

Earlier on Apr 25, BJP president Amit Shah had started his 3-day-long campaign tour to West Bengal, after having lunch at the Tribal couple's home at Naxalbari.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)

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