West Bengal post-poll violence: Union Min to take out Shaheed Yatra in memory of martyrs

In the wake of the post-poll violence in West Bengal, the BJP is planning to take out 'Shaheed Yatra' in memory of the BJP workers that were killed in the violence allegedly at the hands of Trinamool Congress (TMC) cadre. West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh stated on Saturday said that the four newly appointed Union Ministers from West Bengal will lead the Shaheed Yatra and meet the families of those killed in the post-poll political violence. According to Dilip Ghosh, 55 BJP workers have been killed in the Bengal post-poll violence that began as the election results announced on May 2 indicated TMC victory.

Subhas Sarkar - Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education Ministry; Shantanu Thakur - MoS Ministry of Ports, John Barla - MoS Ministry of Minority Affairs, and Nisith Pramanik - MoS Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports are the four politicians from West Bengal who have been picked up in the PM Narendra Modi led cabinet after the reshuffle in July. 

West Bengal post-poll violence

West Bengal witnessed widespread violence which began as the election result trends hinted at a landslide victory or TMC on May 2. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in its report to Calcutta High Court has stated that the post-poll violence in Bengal was a manifestation of 'law of ruler' instead of 'rule of law', indicating that the violence was state-sponsored. The NHRC had also slammed the West Bengal Police, claiming that the police are threatening the victims to not file complaints against the post-poll violence.

Widespread incidents of violence including looting, threats, assault, sexual assaults, ransom demand, land-grabbing, and forced closure of businesses, apart from vandalism and rioting, have been reported in various places across West Bengal after the election result trends gave an indication of TMC's landslide victory. Apart from BJP workers' killing, BJP had shared visuals of its party offices being vandalized and set ablaze in many parts of the state. Many people fled the state due to the post-poll violence. 

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had been flagging the widespread violence had termed it as 'state driven'. Governor Dhankhar had demanded CM Mamata Banerjee to break her silence on the unabated violence. He had also spoken about the exodus of people due to the violence.