West Bengal: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav slams TMC over attack on Dilip Ghosh; meets EC

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday hit out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal for the violence in the state. Lashing out at the ruling party, Yadav said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party has roots in violent politics. He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now met the Election Commission and demanded action against TMC over the attack on state BJP Vice-President Dilip Ghosh.

Speaking to the reporters about the ‘misfortunate’ incident, Bhupender Yadav said that action must be taken against people. “We met EC and told them that polls and violence are synonyms to each other in WB. It seems that Didi (Mamata Banerjee) and her workers have more faith in violence than polls. Attack on Dilip Ghosh shows that TMC and WB Govt consider violence to be a democracy. We demand action,” the minister said.

“We have told EC that they should take strict action, also take action against the officers concerned. EC has asked for a report from the State Govt. The Govt, in their report, said that they've arrested eight people but we think that it's just an eyewash. If eight were arrested, the attack did take place,” he added. Further slamming the ruling party for the violent politics in the state, Yadav said, “Mentality of TMC workers behind the attack is a misfortune for this nation's democracy. We also demanded from EC that they appoint micro-Observers. We submitted an audio digital CD of the entire incident.”

'There is no law & order in West Bengal', says BJP president

Breaking his silence on the attack on Dilip Ghosh, state party Chief Sukanta Majumdar on Monday said that 'there is no law & order in West Bengal'. As BJP's mega campaign comprising of 80 leaders' door-to-door in Bhabanipur constituency in Kolkata got underway, BJP Vice-President Dilip Ghosh was gheraoed and attacked yesterday while attempting to enter Bhabanipur by TMC supporters. "What happened in Bhabanipur is wrong," said BJP state President Sukanta Majumdar.

Bhabanipur by-poll: Violence occurs on last day of the campaign

The Bengal BJP shared a video clip and accused TMC of sending its goons to attack Dilip Ghosh and his supporters in Bhabanipur. In the video, a crowd is seen gheraoing the leader, pushing and yelling at him, refusing him entry into the area. Sharing the same video from Dilip Ghosh's door-to-door campaign, Trinamool Congress accused BJP of threatening protestors as one of Ghosh's security brandished his gun at the crowds which had gheraoed the leader. Moreover, visuals from the ground show violent clashed between party workers of both parties with several sustaining injuries.

The fresh tussle between BJP and TMC in Bengal is for the Bhabanipur by-elections which are all set to undergo voting on September 30. It is the most crucial seat for CM Banerjee as this will decide her future as the Chief Minister and BJP, on the other hand, has promised to give a Nandigram-like fight. Bengal youth wing Vice-President - Priyanka Tibrewal will stand against Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.

(With ANI inputs)

(Image: PTI)