As violence sweeps West Bengal following the victory of TMC in the state assembly elections, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the Mamata Banerjee-led state government for a report on post-election violence targeting opposition political workers in the state.
MHA has asked West Bengal Government for a report on the post election violence targeting opposition political workers in the state.@HMOIndia @PIB_India @DDNewslive @airnewsalerts @ANI
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) May 3, 2021
The Ministry asked the West Bengal state government for a report in the wake of several news reports that highlighted several instances of violence being meted out on opposition political workers and leaders.
West Bengal Governor summons top cops over incidents of violence
Alarmed at the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, the Governor of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar, summoned top police official over incidents of violence being reported from several districts in the state. He asked the police officials to take urgent action to restore law and order.
DGP @WBPolice and Commissioner @CPKolkata summoned by me in the wake of continually rising post poll incidents of arson, looting and violence as also killings in the State were indicated of alarming scenario.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) May 3, 2021
Called upon them to take all steps to restore law and order. pic.twitter.com/BcblaimLeO
“Perturbed and worried at several reports of violence, arson and killings from various parts of State. Party offices, houses & shops being attacked. The situation is alarming. Prompt action called for @HomeBengal @WBPolice @CPKolkata have conferred @MamataOfficial for urgent action,” Dhankhar tweeted on Monday.
“Have been constrained to urgently summon DGP @WBPolice in the wake alarming law and order in the State,” the Governor further tweeted.
West Bengal in the grips of a horrifying spate of violence as TMC emerge victorious in the assembly polls
Violent swept West Bengal following the declaration of election results in which TMC emerged as the single largest party, winning over 200 seats to retain power in the state.
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.
The BJP has accused that five of its workers and supporters have been killed since Sunday and a few hundred party offices and houses of BJP workers vandalised and ransacked across the state as the counting progressed and trends hinted towards TMC victory. In her defence, Banerjee alleged that BJP was using pictures of old riots to claim that they were attacked.
