Pre-poll violence hits West Bengal

KOLKATA: Violence erupted in several districts of West Bengal on Monday ahead of panchayat elections in which one person was shot dead and three sustained bullet injuries.

The violence comes two days after Calcutta High Court directed the state election commission to issue fresh extension to allow Opposition candidates to file nominations.

The BJP, which is struggling to get a foothold in Mamata Banerjee’s territory before the Lok Sabha elections due next year, has published a booklet listing incidents of violence during the panchayat election process.


“One of our minority brothers was shot dead. Three of our members were shot and are admitted to hospitals. During this panchayat poll process, 1,251BJP members were seriously injured, and 610 party workers were arrested. We will again move court if necessary and seek legal intervention,” said Dilip Ghosh, BJP state president. “The Trinamool Congress does not want us to contest the elections. That’s why it has resorted to this attack on our members,” he said.

However, it is unclear which party Sheikh Dildar, who was killed in Birbhum, belonged to.

Hours after the BJP claimed that Dildar was a member of its minority cell, Firhad Hakim, a minister in the state cabinet, said Dildar was a Trinamool worker.

Tauhik Khan, Dildar’s father, who initially said his son was a BJP worker and was killed by Trinamool goons, later changed his statement to say Dildar was a Trinamool member.

“No Opposition candidate can file his nomination. The ruling party has attacked everyone, including Opposition members, media and the court. There is no democracy in Bengal --there’s violence in all districts,” Surjya Kanta Mishra, CPM’s state secretary, said. Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee, however, denied the allegations, saying the Opposition “doesn’t want polls to take place”.