Kolkata, June 23, 2019: West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday accused the main opposition BJP of bringing musclemen from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to spread unrest in violence-hit Bhatpara of North 24 Parganas district. Kolkata Mayor and senior Trinamool leader Firhad Hakim blamed the BJP of “importing unrest and communal violence in the state”.
“Bengalis are being forced to flee from Bhatpara. Baahubalis (musclemen) brought from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have taken over the place. We will not let the entire state turn into Bhatpara,” Hakim told reporters here. The region, which falls under the Barrackpore parliamentary constituency, has been tense since the election results were announced on May 23.
A fresh flare-up in the area on Thursday led title killing of two persons and left at least four others injured when the police opened fire, prompting the administration to impose prohibitory orders in the affected areas. Meanwhile, BJP state President Dilip Ghosh questioned the administration’s inability to restore peace in Bhatpara.
He also referred to the incident of Bankura’s Patrasayer where a teenage boy and two others sustained bullet injuries. A clash erupted in the area on Saturday after the BJP activists allegedly shouted “Jai Shri Ram” slogans at Trinamool workers when they were returning from a party rally led by state Minister and senior party leader Suvendu Adhikari.
“Either Trinamool is resorting to infighting or they are killing others. Police are aiding miscreants in harassing the local people thereby making them very angry and violent. This is why even smallest of incidents are going out of hand,” Ghosh claimed. According to him, if the police, the commoners and the whole society are unsafe, then leading one’s normal life will become very difficult. (IANS)
