Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on July 12 criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying, “You have shamed democracy.”
The BJP MP and the fact-finding team addressed the media in Kolkata today. “You (Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) won because the court was strict. We will visit the affected areas. I belong to Bihar, where incidents like these are a matter of past. Elections are conducted in a peaceful manner in my State. I heard that a murder was reported on the counting day as well. You have shamed democracy,” said the BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Honourable party president Jagat Prakash Nadda Ji has formed a committee of five members under my convenorship to enquire into the violence that erupted in Bengal”.
Taking a jibe at the Bengal Chief Minister ,”Today I would like to remind Mamata Ji about her evolution in the Bengal politics. You fought against the ugly and cruel left regime. But what made your politics uglier than that of the left? Why has your politics become full of atrocities? What have you done? The court has to intervene in the election everytime. Even the Supreme Court has expressed its anxiety over the Bengal violence”.
Further, he asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee why she was not in a position to face the media.
“You are ashamed that your victory costed 45 lives. Now, we are heading to Basirghat. Tomorrow, we will be going to South 24 Parganas and then, we will be visiting North Bengal. We will meet the victims,” said BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “We hope and expect that we will be allowed to visit”. In addition, MP Ravi Shankar Prasad also questioned former Congress President and former MP Rahul Gandhi, “Your party workers are also being beaten. Why are you tight-lipped on that?”
“Bengal is a shameful example of a sickening democracy. Their (Opposition) silence shows that they are they are selfish and can go to any extent in the greed for power”, he added.
Further, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “The BJP will stand with the people with Bengal. The BJP will avenge the attack on democracy. This Bengal belongs to Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, what did you do with it?”
Significantly, the fact-finding committee includes Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh) MP Satya Pal Singh, Korahara (Uttar Pradesh) MP Rekha Verma, Silchar (Assam) MP Rajdeep Roy, Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal and Patna (Bihar) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad (as the convenor).
Notably, violence broke out in West Bengal ahead of the Gram Panchayat elections, which was previously to be held on July 8. However, the voting day was marred with widespread violence, looting of ballots papers and rigging.
There were reports of booth capturing, damaging of ballot boxes and assault of presiding officers from several districts such as Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur and Nadia.
Reports also emerged of ballot boxes being set on fire and clashes between political parties in different locations. As a result, the State Election Commission announced the re-pollling of Panchayat election on July 10. So, it concluded on July 10, and the counting was carried out on July 11.
Ever since the Panchayat elections were declared in West Bengal, 17 people have been killed, and hundreds were injured in targeted political assassinations perpetrated by those running the State. The number of deaths would have been much higher, had it not been for the Central Forces deployed.
The Trinamool Congress won in 28,985 and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 7,764 seats, while Congress has secured 2,022 seats so far.
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