Violence was reported from several places in West Bengal following TMC’s victory in the recently concluded state assembly polls. BJP workers and supporters were at the receiving end of the violence as alleged TMC goons attacking them and vandalising their offices. Now, Mamata Banerjee has issued an appeal to maintain calm. However, in doing so, she has further provoked the passions by accusing the BJP and Central forces of torturing them.
“I appeal to everyone to maintain peace and not indulge in any violence. We know BJP and Central Forces have tortured us a lot but we have to maintain peace. At present, we have fight COVID19,” Banerjee said.
I appeal to everyone to maintain peace and not indulge in any violence. We know BJP and Central Forces have tortured us a lot but we have to maintain peace. At present, we have fight COVID19: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/Q0SnRSi39B
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2021
Mamata Banerjee did appeal for peace, but her appeal was not unequivocal. In a subtle encouragement to the rioters and vandals, she passed the buck of the violence on the BJP and the central government, accusing them of “torture” and thereby indirectly justifying the violence by TMC supporters against their political rivals.
She further added, “I am just a street fighter. I can boost up people so that we can fight against BJP. One can’t do everything alone. I think all together we can fight the battle for 2024. Let’s fight COVID first.”
She accused the BJP of using photographs of old riots to allege violence in the state following the election results. “They (BJP) are posting photographs of old riots, it’s their habit. I don’t like any violence. Why BJP is doing that? Even after winning with a thumping majority, we didn’t do any kind of celebration,” she said.
She further inflamed passions of TMC workers by saying, “I received an SMS from someone wherein Returning Officer of Nandigram has written to someone if he allows recounting then his life would be under threat. For four hours server was down, Governor also congratulated me. Suddenly everything changed”.
Ever since the BJP made inroads in West Bengal politics following the 2019 General elections when it won 18 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats, the political violence in the state has increased dramatically. BJP workers and supporters have often found themselves at the receiving end of the TMC goon’s wrath. Many of them have been found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Violence, a hallmark of TMC rule in West Bengal, was also meted out on the BJP workers and supporters as the TMC goons went on a rampage, indulging in violence, arson, and vandalism following the party’s victory in the state assembly elections yesterday. BJP offices were vandalised and its workers attacked as the TMC supporters ran amok celebrating their party’s victory.
TMC victory in West Bengal triggers a horrifying spate of violence as TMC goons go on a rampage against their political opponents
Soon after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) surpassed the BJP in Vidhan Sabha elections, the goons of the ruling dispensation unleashed violence against their political opponents. While the TMC had secured 213 seats, the BJP managed to win 77 constituencies. There have been multiple incidents of violence inflicted by TMC goons from several places across the state.
On Sunday (May 2), a BJP worker named Avijit Sarkar took to Facebook to narrate the harrowing tale of violence that he was subjected to by the TMC goons. The video was uploaded just hours before he was lynched to death by the miscreants. “I don’t know how to come live (on Facebook). They hurled bombs right in front of my eyes and vandalised my house and the party office. My only mistake is that I am a BJP worker.,” he recounted.
Opindia has learnt that Avijit Sarkar was beaten to death after uploading the two testimonials on Facebook. Following the victory of the Trinamool Congress, several BJP workers and supporters had expressed fear that Mamata Banerjee’s return to power might jeopardise their livelihood and existence.
On Monday (May 3), News18 journalist Payal Mehta had shared the CCTV footage of another deadly attack unleashed by the TMC goons. In visuals caught on camera, the violent mob attacked the house of a BJP worker on Sunday evening in the Kasba locality of South Kolkata. At about 15 seconds into the video, a Trinamool Congress flag could be spotted. The goons initially tried to kick open the door of the house.
The TMC workers also gheraoed a BJP office in Arambagh and attacked it. The office was vandalised and subsequently burnt to the ground.
