West Bengal is voting today (February 27) for 2200 wards across 108 civic bodies. Heavy violence by the ruling TMC is reported from the state.
Kolkata: As the voting begin for the civic polls in West Bengal, the TMC goons started violence against the opposition leaders and cadre.
Former state vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Krishna Bhattacharya was brutally attacked by the TMC goons in Konnagar ward. She was attacked when she was returning home on a two-wheeler.
Criticising the Mamata Banerjee government for poor law & order in the state, state BJP President Dr. Sukanta Majumdar said, “Smt. Krishna Bhattacharya, former State Vice President, Candidate- Konnagar Ward 10 attacked brutally by TMC goons while she was returning home on a two-wheeler. Such attacks on women under a woman CM Mamata Banerjee in Bengal are regular. There is no safety for them.”
On Saturday (February 26), BJP candidate Shantanu Chowdhury was threatened by TMC goons. With a video clip of the TMC goons threatening Chowdhury, Dr. Majumdar posted “Trinamool goons threatening the BJP candidate Shantanu Chowdhury with death. They tried to create fear by intimidating for about an hour. The brave Karyakartas fear none. I praise their courage and we stand firmly with our Karyakartas.”
Fifth phase of voting for the Uttar Pradesh assembly is also underway and barely any violence has been reported. The BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said, “UP is polling today and so is Bengal, to elect municipal councillors. But unprecedented political violence has gripped Bengal. Last night, TMC goons attacked Krishna Bhattacharya, BJP’s former state Vice President, contesting from Konnagar Ward 10, against outgoing TMC chairman.”
On Friday (February 25), a Supreme court bench presided by Justice D Y Chandrachud had dismissed a plea by the BJP requesting deployment of central security forces for smooth conduct of polls.
A bench headed by Justice Chandrachud on November 25 last year had ordered deployment of central security forces for local polls in Tripura. Referring to it, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “Your Lordships have decided not to entertain this. But in the Tripura elections matter, the court had asked if the government can do something. I may submit that we have no problems in deploying the forces.”
Representing the appellants in the Supreme Court, Senior Advocate PS Patwalia said, “Incidents have been reported in the media of false voting, law and order situation has arisen. This was not a stray incident. The elections have been plagued with violence.”
The assembly polls in the state last year were marred by very heavy violence and CBI, on the orders of the Supreme Court, is investigating the cases of poll violence.
