Amid the 4th phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party attacked the convoy of BJP MP Dilip Ghosh.
Ghosh, who won last time from the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency, has been fielded by the BJP from the Bardhaman-Durgapur seat. As per reports, TMC goons pelted stones at his vehicle and also raised slogans against him.
The incident took place when Dilip Ghosh reached Rajganj bazar in Bardhaman to meet BJP workers who had received death threats from local TMC goons. It also came to light that BJP’s polling agent was beaten and not allowed entry into the booth by TMC workers.
#WATCH | Paschim Bardhaman, West Bengal: TMC supporters allegedly pelted stones on the vehicle of BJP candidate from Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat, Dilip Ghosh. pic.twitter.com/tYfZ3j2QoF
— ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024
When BJP MP Dilip Ghosh reached the spot, the TMC goons raised slogans of ‘Joy Bangla’ – a political slogan employed by Mamata Banerjee and her party to counter chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ during political events.
This led to a heated argument between the TMC goons and Dilip Ghosh, following which they attacked his convoy with stones. The glass pane of his car was reportedly shattered during the incident.
The police pacified the situation by carrying out a lathi charge. One TMC worker named Insaan Sheikh was injured in the scuffle. The TMC goons then attempted to obstruct the convoy of Dilip Ghosh but he soon left the area.
The BJP MP has raised the matter with the Election Commission and said that the TMC is intimidating the locals so that they do not go out and vote for the BJP.
Violence against BJP in Bengal
On 24th March, a mob of Trinamool Congress goons attacked several BJP workers in Mather Dighi village in Canning subdivision in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
As per reports, four BJP workers were injured during the attack. Amid the violent clash, three TMC workers were also hurt. All those injured in the attack and counter-attack are now undergoing treatment at the Canning Sub Divisional Hospital.
It has come to light that the TMC goons thrashed the Mandal President of Canning Purba Mandal No 3, and several other karyakartas. According to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the condition of BJP workers Bivas Mondal and Subrata Das remains critical.
Suvendu Adhikari has accused one Hossain Sheikh, who is said to be a close aide of TMC MLA Saokat Molla, of engineering the attack. He has requested the EC to act against Sheikh immediately.
The dead body of a BJP worker, with his hands tied, was discovered in a paddy field near his residence on 23rd March morning. The incident took place in Pingla village in Kharagpur subdivision in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. The deceased was identified as Shantanu Ghorai.
His father has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party of orchestrating the murder. While speaking about the matter to ABP Ananda, Shantanu’s father Chittaranjan remarked, “They were angry at him. He used to speak the truth openly. He had to give his life for being involved with the BJP.
He added that the TMC had previously intimidated Shantanu for speaking against TMC and supporting the BJP. The victim’s father continued, “They used to threaten the boy if they ran into him in the market or neighbourhood. They used to warn him about breaking his bones and killing him alive.”
“Shantanu used to put up flags of BJP before elections,” he added. On being asked whether the victim had been deliberately attacked before elections, Chittaranjan said ‘yes.’
OpIndia has earlier reported about 5 incidents of attacks on BJP workers, mostly by goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress party.
