Poet Srijato seeks legal advice after arrest warrant

Kolkata: Poet Srijato Bandyopadhyay is in touch with his lawyer to ensure all legal protocol are followed after an arrest warrant was issued against him over a controversial 12-line poem he wrote in 2017. While friends and admirers across the globe have condemned what they see as an attempt to turn him into a political scapegoat, the complainant — Krishnanagar-based advocate and former BJP legal cell co-convenor Romeet Sil — has refuted the charges."I have sought the lawyer's advice. We have not heard anything yet from the local police station. I will follow all legal protocol for bail," Srijato said.Rana Sarkar, who produced Srijato's directorial debut ‘Manobjomin', said: "A poet's job is to mirror society. Srijato's lines were meant to shock and expose those exploiting religion for political gain. I am certain this case surfaced ahead of the elections to serve a political agenda. Srijato wrote Trinamool's poll song this year. On Tuesday, he spoke at a gathering in Bhowanipore. The timing of this news, coming right after all this, strongly suggests he is being made a political scapegoat."Boston-based scientist and poet Alokesh Duttaroy told TOI that he is "shocked" and "speechless" by the event. Sil told TOI: "I filed the case in 2019. If I wanted political advantage, I would have used it in the 2021 polls, but I did not. The case has proceeded through due process. I have no jurisdiction to influence the judiciary or the timing of the arrest warrant."