Notwithstanding the big surge in corona virus cases the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday (May 4) announced that it would be organising sit-ins (dharnas) all over the country on Wednesday in protest against the post-poll violence in West Bengal, which according to the party, has taken the lives of several workers since May 2 victory of Trinamool Congress in the Assembly poll.
The national president of the party, J P Nadda air-dashed to Kolkata and would on Wednesday be meeting the family members of those who lost their lives in the violence. He would be first going to North 24 Parganas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had talked to West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over phone to take the latest stock of the situation.
On the other hand, chief minister Mamata Banerjee who on Tuesday held a meeting with top civil and police officials of the state appealed to the people to maintain peace and be calm. She directly blamed the BJP for the violence against the Trinamool Congress workers and supporters.
Mamata, who would take oath for the third time as the chief minister on May 5, is also reviewing the situation arising out of the revival of COVID-19 in the state.
Meanwhile, the leader of TMC in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien held the BJP responsible and alleged that the whole matter is highly exaggerated. He said that this is being done to distract the attention from the failure on the corona front.
Independent political observers are of the view that the post-poll violence is nothing new in West Bengal. The only difference this time was that the number of clashes during the poll was much fewer than in the past. Four persons were killed in firing by CISF personnel in Cooch Behar district on April 10. One more person died in the district in a clash on the same day.
