Kolkata, March 15: The political turmoil between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) escalated on Sunday following clashes that occurred in Kolkata on Saturday. The confrontation took place in the Girish Park area as supporters of both parties faced off ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event in the city.
Reports indicate that tensions rose suddenly on Saturday afternoon, just before Prime Minister Modi’s address at the Brigade Parade Ground. Clashes broke out between the supporters of both parties, resulting in injuries to a Kolkata police inspector and a minister from the West Bengal government.
In the aftermath, police conducted an overnight operation, leading to the arrest of four individuals. However, the West Bengal BJP unit has accused the police of biased actions, claiming that their supporters were specifically targeted.
The BJP alleges that TMC workers attacked a bus carrying their supporters heading to the Prime Minister’s rally. Party leaders assert that the violence was initiated by members of the ruling party.
Neither the TMC nor the BJP has formally filed a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the incident. Nevertheless, the Kolkata police took cognizance of the situation and initiated an investigation. Among those arrested, three are reported to be BJP supporters, including Krishanu Bose, Sunny Day, and Charanjit Singh.
BJP councilor from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Sajal Ghosh, has questioned these arrests, stating that the three detained BJP supporters were not even present at the scene during the clashes.
Ghosh challenged the Kolkata police to release CCTV footage from the time of the incident and to disclose the mobile tower locations of the arrested individuals. He accused the police of making unwarranted arrests under pressure from the TMC, even levying serious charges like attempted murder against them.
Meanwhile, TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee condemned the incident, highlighting the serious nature of the injuries sustained by Dr. Shashi Panja, the Minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare in West Bengal.
Banerjee stated, “This is not just an attack on a female minister but an assault on every woman in the state. This reflects the political culture of the BJP. Outsiders are trying to instigate violence in West Bengal, aiming to disrupt peace and create an atmosphere of fear. This will neither be forgiven nor forgotten.”
The Election Commission has also taken a stern stance on the matter. On Saturday, it requested a detailed report from Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar regarding the clashes. Additionally, the Commission has sought a report from a senior state government official concerning the attack on Minister Shashi Panja’s residence following the clashes.
The Election Commission inquired why central paramilitary forces, already deployed in the state ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, were not utilized to control the situation.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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