Governor visits Asansol, appeals for peace

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Saturday visited violence-hit Asansol and Raniganj areas of Paschim Bardhaman district and urged the people to maintain peace.

“I have come here with the message of peace. Peace should be paramount. I appeal to all the people belonging to all castes and communities to live in harmony,” Mr. Tripathi told journalists.

The Governor said that he wanted to visit the strife-torn areas earlier but it did not materialise. Mr. Tripathi held a meeting with senior district and police officers and spoke to locals.

The industrial region in south Bengal has been on the boil for the past one week over tensions during Ram Navami celebrations. Two persons have died in the violence in Paschim Bardhaman district and four in the State in the communal flare up.

State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who also wanted to visit the areas was stopped by the police on the national highway. On Sunday, a four-member delegation of the BJP is scheduled to visit the trouble-hit areas.

During the day certain rallies were brought out on the occasion of Hanuman jayanti. Despite orders of the State administration that there should not be any armed rallies, some rallies were brought out in Hooghly district where people were seen carrying arms.