Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji was reminding the nation that violence and killing cannot be the means of politics, another BJP worker succumbed to a violent death in Bengal.
The incident occurred in Ghazipur village, Bhagabanpur II Block under Kanthi in East Medinipur district. The 62-year old BJP worker, Gokul Chandra Jana, was the local booth secretary of BJP. Subrata Mahapatra, a member of the Kanthi District Committee of BJP, alleged that Jana was killed for protesting against the socially irresponsible behaviour of a local gentleman, who wielded great political power by virtue of being the husband of a TrinaMool Congress Panchayat member.
According to local sources, this gentleman had tested positive for Covid but refused to take any precautionary measure. The BJP activist, Gokul Chandra Jana, raised the issue and a matter of socio-hygienic concern was immediately escalated to a political level by the TrinaMool Congress. Jana was targeted and beaten to death on this pretext by the relatives of the TrinaMool Panchayat member. The main accused in this case is the elder brother of the Panchayat member. The local Bhupatinagar Police station has already arrested him and one other person in the context of this murder. TrinaMool Congress has, however, denied all charges.
Only yesterday, our Prime Minister had in his speech following the electoral victory in Bihar, reiterated that there is no place of violence in politics. However, Bengal continues to be the worst victim of political violence. Many BJP workers were beaten up or killed even during the lockdown in Bengal. According to statistics provided by the state BJP, at least 12 karyakartas have been killed during the last 6 months in Bengal.
