Never heard of such violence: Bengal guv
West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar turned emotional and could be seen wiping tears after meeting some of the alleged victims of post-poll violence at Nandigram in East Midnapore.
The governor’s visit to one of the most high-profile assembly constituencies, where a tough electoral battle was fought between chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her protégéturned-adversary Suvendu Adhiakri, triggered a political slugfest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Unimaginable post poll violence @MamataOfficial Terrified people with difficulty and fear
@WBPolice and reprisals at hands of ruling party workers narrate indescribable woes of horror. Appeal CM to take urgent steps to restore their confidence in the worst post poll violence,” Dhankhar tweeted.
Dhankhar alleged that the violence was being sponsored, organised and condoned by the state.
The governor visited some of the victims’ villages, sometimes by battery-driven rickshaw and sometimes on a motorcycle. He interacted with the villagers and some women could be seen wailing before him. Dhankhar could also be seen wiping his eyes more than once.
“The state is passing through a very severe crisis of Covid-19 and unprecedented post-poll violence that is retributive and targeted. I never heard of such violence. I would appeal to the chief minister. It is high time that she took note of it. We are sitting on a volcano,” he said, adding that thousands of people had to abandon their homes and take shelter outside the state.
On Friday, Dhankhar visited Assam’s Dhubri district and interacted with people who fled from their homes in West Bengal following post-poll violence allegedly perpetrated by TMC workers.
The ruling TMC however said that the governor’s visit was motivated as he only visited the houses of BJP workers.
“He (Dhankhar) has demeaned the governor’s chair by giving a call for change ahead of the assembly elections. The BJP lost because the people discarded them. Now he is moving around like an unsatisfied spirit and trying to disturb the peace,” said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.
The TMC supremo’s chief election agent at Nandigram Sk Sufiyan alleged that the helipad where the governor’s chopper landed was built by the BJP during the elections. The governor went to Nandigram in a BSF (Border Security Force) chopper.