Protesting against the unnatural death of West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislator from Hemtabad Debendra Nath Ray on Monday, the party called for a 12-hour shutdown in the district on Tuesday. The party also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter.
Debendra Nath Ray was found mysteriously hanging on Monday morning, a few meters away from his home near a local market in his village.
Ray had joined the BJP in 2019. Earlier, he was elected on a CPI-M ticket in 2016.
“We demand a CBI enquiry into the incident. We also demand videography of the entire post-mortem examination of the body so that every aspect is recorded,” state BJP President Dilip Ghosh said.
Meanwhile, police sources said a suicide note was recovered from the deceased’s shirt pocket which mentioned two names. The police, however, refused to disclose the names.
The family members of the deceased BJP lawmaker alleged that Ray was murdered for his political affiliation and demanded a thorough probe into the matter.
State BJP leaders said that people are of the clear opinion that he was first killed and then hung in his village. “His crime was that he joined the BJP in 2019,” state BJP tweeted.
BJP MP from Asansol Babul Supriyo said that in 2017 Mamata Banerjee had said that democracy was under threat in this country.
“What does she have to say now? When hundreds of opposition workers and supporters have been killed by Trinamool Congress goons?” the singer-turned BJP MP tweeted.
Senior state BJP leader Sayantan Basu said: “If an elected MLA is not safe in Bengal, what will be the safety for common people here? We will demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter. There is no law and order in the state.”
North Dinajpur district Trinamool Congress leader Amal Acharya dubbed it as a ‘sad incident’. “I came to know about it this morning. I am deeply saddened. He was a good man. I would urge the police administration to investigate the matter and punish the real perpetrators. This is absolutely uncalled for and whoever is guilty should be immediately punished, irrespective of any political colour,” said Acharya, a Trinamool MLA.
Condemning the incident, BJP national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya twitted: “Ray was killed”. He also raised the question of Ray’s political affiliation behind the killing.
