The BJP claims political violence even in the event of death by suicide: Sougata Roy (File)
Calcutta:
Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress has rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oblique warning of alleged political violence in the state, accusing the BJP of muckraking ahead of next year’s assembly elections.
Accusing Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah of “raising the height”, Sougata Roy of Trinamool said: “The BJP account of political violence is false. Trinamool does not believe in the politics of violence.”
“The BJP claims political violence even in cases of death by suicide,” Roy said. On November 1, after a 34-year-old man was found hanging from a tree in Gayeshpur, Nadia district, the BJP claimed he was their supporter and had been murdered by Congress in Trinamool. His family has denied ties to the party or the possibility of foul play.
There was a similar outcry following the death of a BJP leader in East Midnapore on July 29 and a MPP MP who joined the BJP on July 13. It was ultimately confirmed that both had died by suicide.
BJP’s policy is to “throw in the mud and hope that some will stay,” added the Trinamool MP.
During the celebrations for Bihar’s victory in New Delhi last night, Prime Minister Modi, without naming Bengal or its chief minister, spoke of “those who engage in the policy of murder”, who he says do not are “not acceptable in a democracy”.
“Those who are unable to challenge us, some of these people have taken the path of murdering our workers. In some parts of the country they think that by killing BJP workers they will achieve their ambitions. I don’t think that I have to warn them, because in a democracy, the people speak, ”Prime Minister Modi said.
“Elections come and go, there are victories and defeats – today someone will be in power tomorrow someone else, but this murder game cannot be accepted in a democracy. By playing with death, you can’t get a warrant – see the writing on the wall, “he said.
With Bengal topping its list of coveted states since the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP has attempted to expand its footprint in the state. His efforts paid off last year when the party won 18 of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats.
But during this period, the party made multiple allegations of political violence in the state, targeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for murdering her workers. In the past two years, more than 100 BJP workers have been murdered in Bengal, according to the party.
It was one of the campaign highlights in last year’s Lok Sabha election and it will likely be selected for national polls next year.
