Guwahati: More than 50 elected members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the West Bengal panchayat elections have fled the State and taken shelter in Bongaigaon district in Assam in fear of life.
Forty-one elected panchayat members taking shelter in a hotel in Bongaigaon town said that Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons threatened to kill them after they won the recently held violent panchayat election in West Bengal.
Cooch Behar district in West Bengal bordering Assam also saw unprecedented violence during the panchayat elections in the last 40 days. Numbers of BJP workers were killed in the district, and BJP workers are facing life threats from the TMC goons.
Mandal President Sudhanshu Mahata, who has also taken shelter in a hotel in Bongaigaon, said it is beyond imagination. They have created a terror situation in the State. Nobody has seen such violence in a panchayat election before 2023 in the entire country. We have been harassed by Trinamool goons every day, and after winning the election, it is not possible to stay there. We have taken shelter in Assam, but we are worried about our family, Sudhanshu Mahanta added.
Manabendra Roy, a BJP candidate in the election, said it is impossible to stay there. Election means blood and violence in West Bengal. Ever since the election date was declared in the last 40 days, 57 people have lost their life. Trinamool goons have created a warzone in West Bengal; Manabendra Roy said, “My house was vandalised 5 times in the last five years. My shop was looted by Trinamool goons during the last assembly election in 2021 and again looted now. If we go to the police they say “Dekha Jabe” (will see). West Bengal police only follows the orders of Trinamool leaders and goons.”, Manabendra Roy added.
The panchayat elections in West Bengal, held on July 8, were overshadowed by incidents of supreme violence and unrest, resulting in the death of 57 civilians, most of them associated with Opposition parties. Hundreds of incidents of crude bomb blast, arson, rioting, vandalisation of ballot boxes, burning of ballot papers, massive rigging by ruling Trinamool goons took place in daylight in front of police. The BJP termed it as a “State-sponsored” violence during the polls. The saffron party referred to the killings during the election as “State-sponsored institutionalised murders.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on July 11 said that 133 individuals who feared for their lives sought refuge in Dhubri district of the State.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma further said that the people have been provided shelter in a relief camp, and assured them of “any humanitarian aid during times of crisis”.
In a tweet, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Yesterday, 133 individuals who feared for their lives due to violence in the panchayat election in West Bengal sought refuge in Dhubri District of Assam. We have provided them with shelter in a relief camp, as well as food and medical assistance.”
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