PM Modi condemned the unprecedented and gory episode and said people should never forgive those who 'encourage' those elements who were responsible for the death of women and children by burning them alive in Birbhum.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday categorically said that he is 'hopeful' that the state government in West Bengal will definitely punish all the wrongdoers of Birbhum carnage.
"Mein asha karta hoo ki rajya sarkar Bangal ke pavitra dharti par aisa jhaganya paap karne walon ko jaroor saza dilai gi (I would like to express hope that the state government will certainly act and punish those responsible for such heinous crime in the sacred land of Bengal)," the Prime Minister said.
Condemning the unprecedented and gory episode, he said, people should never forgive those who 'encourage' those elements who were responsible for the death of women and children by burning them alive in Birbhum.
"I would like to urge the people of West Bengal also should never forgive those who encourage (housla barane walon ki) these elements," PM Modi said in his speech for an official function in Kolkata.
West Bengal Governor also condemned the incident in the strongest term. "I will not say a word on that because the PM Narendra Modi has spoken on this. Looking at the enormity of the carnage – we have not seen such kind of carnage in recent history," Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said.
"Nothing can be more painful in a democracy than women and children being burnt alive. I will say no more on the issue," he said.
Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking immediate
intervention from the centre.
"In view of the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal, I request you to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution to ensure that the Government of West Bengal is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution," Chowdhury wrote.
While invoking Article 356 means dismissal of the state government and imposition of President's Rule, Article 355 of the Constitution says that "It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution."
The Trinamool Congress regime has come under attack from other quarters as well.
BJP MP Arjun Singh said, "There is an atmosphere of terror here. Villages are deserted. Shameful that this government let several
innocent people die. Policemen kept standing and did nothing. Mamata Banerjee should resign immediately." He also demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI or NIA.
The Union Home Ministry has already sought a detailed report from the state and a BJP delegation, a special team of BJP leaders, comprising Bharti Ghosh, Sukanta Majumder and Satyapal Singh, will leave for Birbhum on Wednesday and later submit an on-the-spot report to party president J P Nadda.
