Amidst the 3rd phase of the ongoing West Bengal State Assembly polls, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) booth agent was thrashed by a group of women in Arambagh in the South 24 Parganas district. The attack comes days after TMC leader Mamata Banerjee urged women to attack security personnel with ‘Haatha kunthi‘.
As per reports, the incident took place in Subhaypur Harijan Prathamik Vidyalaya (Polling station 230) in the Arambagh Vidhan Sabha constituency. A group of women reached the polling station and pulled the TMC agent Babar Ali Khan out of the booth. He was allegedly beaten with ‘haatha kunthi’ by the women in the presence of the central security personnel.
ABP Ananda reported that despite the efforts of the security forces to pacify the situation, the women continued to thrash the TMC agent. He then managed to escape and reach the van of the police authorities. On being asked to return back to the polling booth, he cited ‘personal safety’ to refrain from going back. The TMC booth agent then left the scene.
While speaking about the matter, Khan said, “The police are protecting me here. But they (referring to the group of women) are thrashing me there in the presence of the central forces. They have failed to protect me. These cops have saved my life.” The third phase of the West Bengal State Legislative polls have so far witnessed violence, ISF bombing and obstruction of voters by the Trinamool Congress.
Mamata Banerjee advocated mob justice during election rallies
While perpetuating fear in the minds of people that the BJP could unleash a similar form of brutality, Mamata Banerjee said during an election rally, “Ek jot hoye berhoben…Ekta loker gayae haath dile, ekta mayer gaye haath dile, lokho maa hatha kunti niye berhobe (Leave your homes in groups. If they touch anyone, especially a woman, lacs of mothers will come out with kitchen utensils in their hand)”.
She further added, “If they attack any man, then, all the elderly must unite in groups.” While gloating over the idea of violence, the West Bengal Chief Minister stated, “Ami dekhte chai khela ke haare aar khela ke jeete (I want to see who loses this game (of violence) and who wins.)
During an election rally in Falakata in the Alipurduar district on Friday(April 2), Mamata Banerjee claimed that the central security personnel have been working in cahoots with the BJP as a part of a sinister conspiracy to defeat the Trinamool Congress. “Don’t listen to them. If they try to intimidate you, then, you must unite and chase them away with utensils, sticks and brooms,” the West Bengal recommended the people of Falakata to resort to violent means.
