TMC, Oppn clashes over rural polls rock Bengal
Parties shift blame on each other for violence over nominations
KOLKATA/MIDNAPORE: Clashes between supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and opposition parties over the filing of nominations for the panchayat polls rocked Bengal for the sixth straight day on Saturday, with the opposition accusing the TMC of using strong arm tactics.
Even as opposition parties accused the police of being silent spectators, additional director general of police (ADGP) Anuj Sharma announced at the state secretariat that more forces were being sent to Birbhum, North 24 Parganas and North Dinajpur districts. The additional forces will be led by three senior IPS officers. “The police have so far shown restraint but now we will crack down,” Sharma said.
On Friday evening, veteran CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharya was injured, allegedly by ruling party supporters, when they were leading processions of party candidates to file their nomination. On Thursday, CPI(M) leader and seven-time Lok Sabha MP Ramchandra Dom was attacked.
On Saturday, the opposition alleged that intimidation and strong-arm tactics were visible in Kolkata also.They claimed that a number of young men stood at the gate of the South 24 Parganas district administrative building in Alipore, the city’s most upscale neighbourhood and stopped even media persons from taking photographs.
“The distance between the Alipore administrative building and the state secretariat is around 3 km. If this kind of intimidation is taking place in the heart of Kolkata, we can conclude that either the government has lost control on law and order, or, it is directing the violence from the secretariat...” alleged Rahul Sinha, BJP national secretary and former state president.
The TMC has brushed aside the opposition’s allegations.
Monday is the last day for filing of nominations. In a petition in the Supreme Court, the BJP has appealed for extending the nomination process to enable their candidates and those of other opposition parties to contest.
Several persons were injured in Birbhum district when BJP and TMC supporters clashed.
Bengal police deputy chief Anuj Sharma claimed, “We have found that people from Jharkhand entered Birbhum and created trouble,” he said.
In Durgapur in West Burdwan district, BJP district president Laxman Ghorai and four others were injured in a clash.
Left candidates had to return without filing nominations when a mob armed with sticks manhandled them outside the office of the police superintendent of Bankura. “They were shouting slogans like ‘Mamata Banerjee jug jug jio’ and ‘Jai Siya Ram’...” alleged Sujan Chakraborty, CPI(M) MLA. But the government quickly washed its hands off. “Section 144 of CrPC is enforced where nomination is filed. Why should Sujan Chakravarty go there in a procession? They are staging a drama,” remarked urban development minister Bobby Hakim.
In Kandi, TMC supporters obstructed a procession led by state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. Congress workers retaliated by staging a demonstration and blocking roads.
“I came here with party workers, thinking after the Calcutta high court interim order on Friday that filing of nomination will be allowed,” said Chowdhury.
In Kolkata, Congress workers began an agitation in front of the State Election Commission office.
State election commissioner A K Singh who convened a meeting of election observers, advised them to work neutrally.