On Saturday (June 17), a scuffle broke out between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party workers and the BJP in the Dinhata area in the Coochbehar district of West Bengal.
As per reports, the clash took place at the Sahebganj Block Development Office (BDO) when the scrutiny of nomination papers was underway. In the meantime, the convoy of BJP MLA Sukumar Roy and Minister of State of Home Affairs Nishith Pramanik was attacked.
The latter was also stopped from entering the BDO office by the police under the pretext of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The development comes amid reports of violence in the State ahead of the Panchayat polls.
#Breaking: Tension prevails in Coochbehar district’s Dinhata area after #TMC–#BJP cadres came face to face over scrutiny of candidates for Panchayat polls in #WestBengal. Union minister Nishith Pramanick claims his convoy was stopped citing section 144 CrPC around the BDO office… pic.twitter.com/7dlR2dRiSe
— Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) June 17, 2023
In a viral video, Union Minister Nishith Pramanik was heard saying, “We are not being allowed to go to the BDO office and you can hear the TMC goons sloganeering from inside the building. Section 144 seems to be only applicable to us. The cops are not stopping the TMC goons, who are raising slogans. Shameless.”
#WATCH | "A bomb was hurled at the car of Nisith Pramanik, Police is literally helpless. Udayan Guha is standing there with his goons, with 1000-1500 people. They are snatching Form B from the hands of our workers. Election Commission & State Administration are sitting silently.… https://t.co/kmUaqmiepq pic.twitter.com/hAIangpZKq
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2023
“A bomb was hurled at the car of Nisith Pramanik, Police is literally helpless…If a minister can be attacked like that, we can imagine what the situation in West Bengal must be,” BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar informed the media.
Mamata’s TMC unleashes ‘Khela’ of violence against Opposition
Ahead of the Panchayat polls, the State of West Bengal is witnessing an orgy of political violence. TMC workers have created an atmosphere of chaos & unrest since June 9. So far, at least 3 people have lost their lives.
A Congress worker named Fulchand Sheik was shot dead on the night of June 9 at his residence in Khargram in Murshidabad district. The police arrested two accused, identified as Safique Sheikh and Kaber Sheikh, on June 10. Both of them are said to be the workers of the Trinamool Congress party.
On June 15, a CPI (M) worker named Mansur Alam was killed after being allegedly fired upon by members of the ruling TMC party. The incident took place in Chopra community development block in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal.
Two other CPI(M) workers were critically injured in the attack. They were rushed to the Islampur sub-district hospital. Members of the ruling Trinamool Congres and the Islamist party ‘Indian Secular Front’ (ISF) clashed several times in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district between June 13 and June 15.
Stones and bombs were hurled at each other by both political groups. ISF has accused the Trinamool Congress of preventing their candidates from filing nomination papers. One worker of the party, identified as Mohammad Mohiuddin Molla, was killed on June 15, 2023.
The ongoing violence in West Bengal is part of the ruling dispensation’s playbook to intimidate the Opposition parties. The State has witnessed similar cases during the infamous 2021 Vidhan Sabha election and the 2022 civic body polls.
