In response to escalating post-poll violence in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced the formation of a four-member committee to assess and respond to the unrest.
According to a BJP statement, the Lok Sabha elections across 28 states and 8 union territories were largely peaceful, with no reports of political violence, except in West Bengal.
The BJP statement lambasted the state's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of inaction in the face of violence allegedly perpetrated by members of her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The statement read: "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remains a mute spectator, while criminals of her party attack and intimidate opposition workers and voters with impunity."
Highlighting the severity of the situation, the BJP referenced the Calcutta High Court's recent involvement. The court has extended the deployment of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) until June 21 and scheduled a review for June 18.
The BJP's national president, JP Nadda, has constituted a committee comprising former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Convenor Ravi Shankar Prasad, and MPs Brij Lal and Kavita Patidar to visit West Bengal, evaluate the situation, and report back.
Violence erupted across the state on June 5, following the TMC's sweeping victory in the Lok Sabha elections, where they won 29 out of 42 seats, significantly reducing the BJP's tally to 12. Clashes have been reported in Cooch Behar, North and South 24 Parganas, and Jhargram.
In Natabari, a BJP supporter allegedly attacked a TMC worker with a firearm. In Barasat, BJP offices and homes were vandalized, and Bhatpara saw crude bombs being used in conflicts. Additionally, BJP supporters' homes in Narendrapur and Howrah were attacked, prompting many families to seek refuge in Jadavpur.
The Election Commission has responded by deploying 400 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to manage the violence, drawing parallels to the post-poll unrest following the 2021 Assembly elections.
In a recent development, police prevented BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, along with alleged victims of post-poll violence, from entering the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, citing Section 144 around the Governor's residence.
However, the Calcutta High Court ruled on Friday that Adhikari and the victims could visit the Raj Bhavan and meet the Governor if granted permission by his office.
Governor Bose, who has taken an active interest in the situation, visited Maheshwari Bhawan in Burrabazar on Friday, meeting approximately 150 people purportedly affected by the violence. The BJP has consistently alleged TMC's involvement in the post-election violence, a claim vehemently denied by the ruling party.
Governor Bose has written to the state government, seeking a response to the allegations, underscoring the need for clarity and resolution in this turbulent post-election period.
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