Panchayat polls are scheduled to be held in three phases, on May 1, 3 and 5. (Express Photo)
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from across the state on Monday, as the West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) issued a notification extending the last day of filing nomination papers for panchayat polls by another day.
While South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Cooch Behar, Murshidabad and Kolkata districts faced clashes, one Congress candidate was killed in a road accident in Malda, which led to a demonstration by local residents. Over the past few days, Opposition parties have relentlessly accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of not allowing their candidate to file their nominations. TMC, in turn, has been denying the allegations.
Trinamool Congress general secretary Partha Chatterjee said, “On one hand they take out armed rally, on the other hand they are complaining to the Election Commission that they are not able to file nominations because they are being attacked. It is evident that the entire thing is planned. Places where they don’t have existence, they are saying they were not allowed to file nominations. No democratic person will give importance to such allegations. If these allegations are true, then how have so many nomination forms been filed by the opposition parties? Till yesterday, 49 per cent of nominations were filed by Opposition.”
During a press conference held on Monday, which was earlier the last day of filing nominations before the WBSEC extended it to Tuesday, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said, “Women being manhandled, heckled over filing nomination has never happened in Bengal and they are proud of this. They are saying Opposition has zero existence by not allowing nomination process. Our people couldn’t file nominations, they have been beaten up, thrashed in different parts of the state. They were stopped from filing nominations. State government has not been in favour of deployment of central forces.”
Panchayat polls are scheduled to be held in three phases, on May 1, 3 and 5. The results will be declared on May 8. ADG (law and order) Anuj Sharma said, “All booths will have armed forces during all three phases of election.”
State Election Commissioner A K Singh had agreed on Saturday that there were “problems” in some areas over filing of nominations for the panchayat polls and had requested 171 block-level observers to be “impartial” while sending reports so that the panel can ensure free and fair polls.
South 24 Parganas
In Baruipur, a woman was allegedly beaten up as two groups clashed outside the office of the Diamond Harbour sub-divisional officer, spurring police to initiate lathicharge. Four people, including Sabir Molla (22) of Parthopukur, who had allegedly thrashed the woman, were arrested, said police. Special Operation Group officer-in-charge Laxmi Biswas was injured in the process, they added.
While police said the clash had nothing to do with the panchayat polls, the local BJP claimed the woman is a party worker and blamed the attack on “TMC goons”. Superintendent of Police (Baruipur) Arijit Sinha, told The Indian Express, “The fight between the woman and the man was purely of a personal nature and not connected with the process of nomination.” However, BJP’s Diamond Harbour president Avijit Das said, “The woman is a party worker. She was thrashed by TMC goons while accompanying party candidates and her father, who were on their way to file nominations. The situation here is so bad that our party couldn’t file a single nomination from Diamond Harbour.” Denying the allegation, TMC district president Subhasish Chakraborty said, “Our party has no connection with the case.”
In Mograghat, two police officers received bullet injuries while trying to intervene in a clash between two groups on Monday. Mograghat Rafiq Jamal, a sub-inspector, and another police officer of Usti police station were hit by bullets. Jamal has been admitted at Diamond Harbour hospital. “A complaint has been received. The culprits are yet to be identified,” police said.
Nadia
In Nadia district’s Chakda area, a Trinamool Congress candidate was shot at by unidentified miscreants on his way home from a public meeting on Sunday close to midnight. Ashim Biswas, who has filed his nomination papers, had a narrow escape as crude bombs exploded when he was five minutes away from his home, and he was sustained a bullet injury in the arm. “It appears that the bombs were used because there were others accompanying the candidate, who was on his way back home. He was then shot at. The miscreants are yet to be identified. A complaint has been lodged at Chakdah police station,” said a police officer.
Cooch Behar
In Mathabhanga area, two factions of Trinamool Congress allegedly clashed with each other near the Cooch Behar BDO office, said police sources, who added that three TMC members who were injured were undergoing treatment at Mathabh- anga hospital.
Malda
A Congress candidate was killed in a road accident in Malda on Monday. Babita Singh was on a motorcycle when she was hit by a truck at Jadupur on National Highway 24. The accident triggered anger among local residents, who staged a demonstration in the area. “She was on her way to file nominations and was riding pillion. The truck driver managed to escape. The case is being investigated,” said a senior police officer.
Murshidabad
Congress MLA of Beldanga in Murshidabad, Seikh Safiujjaman, was also allegedly assaulted by ruling party workers, said local police sources. It could not be confirmed whether any complaint was lodged in connection with the incident.