As the post-poll violence in West Bengal reaches its highest point, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has called an all-party meeting on June 13, Thursday at 4 pm at Governor’s house. Tripathi has sent a letter to all prominent political parties in Bengal including ruling party TMC, BJP, Congress and Left, urging them to attend the meet.
West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to convene a meeting of 4 major political parties in context of reported post-poll violence in the state, tomorrow at the Rajbhavan. Partho Chatterjee (TMC), Dilip Ghosh(BJP), SK Mishra (CPIM) & SN Mitra (Congress) to attend the meeting. pic.twitter.com/6GKMTD0OPA
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2019
Earlier, disregarding the Governor’s standing, Mamata Banerjee had reacted to K N Tripathi’s suggestion, that, President’s rule be imposed in the state saying that a plan is being hatched to turn Bengal into Gujarat. Tripathi had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised them about the deteriorating conditions in Bengal.
The poll violence in Bengal has aggravated after BJP made successful inroads by bagging 18 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. Several reports of BJP workers and supporters attacked in Bengal have emerged as a result of the political slugfest.
The West Bengal police have also been working hands in gloves with the ruling party to torment the BJP workers in Bengal. Kolkata police today used water cannons and tear gas on BJP workers who were protesting against the killings of their party workers across the state.
They also stopped a group of BJP workers marching peacefully towards Kolkata Police headquarters in Lal Bazar. The Kolkata police have arrested several BJP workers including five supporters of BJP Mahila Morcha for violating CrPC Section 144, which was imposed near the headquarters. Roads to and from Lal Bazar were barricaded. Rapid Action Force (RAF) was along with about 3,000 personnel from Kolkata Police were also deployed.
Reportedly, the Kolkata police also charged BJP workers with batons on Bipin Behari Ganguly Street.
On Sunday, clashes had erupted between TMC and BJP workers in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas, killing several BJP workers. Today, another BJP worker from Malda was reportedly found brutally murdered.
Welcoming the Governor’s initiative, West Bengal BJP unit president Dilip Ghosh said the state government should have taken the initiative. “We welcome the decision. We have received Tripathi’s letter. We would be attending tomorrow’s meeting,” he told PTI.
The Trinamool Congress leadership, however, said it was yet to receive any letter. “Once we receive the letter, we would take a call on it,” said a senior TMC leader.
