One Dead as Clashes Mar Panchayat Poll Nominations Once Again in Bengal
On Monday, both Congress and the BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of "letting loose a reign of terror" since morning to prevent their candidates from filing their papers.
Representational image.
Kolkata: One person was killed in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Monday when violent clashes marred the latest attempt at filing of nominations for the panchayat elections. The opposition has once again blamed the Trinamool Congress for “unleashing terror” to prevent their candidates from filing nominations.
Similar clashes earlier this month had disrupted the nomination process in several parts of the state.
On Monday, both Congress and the BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of "letting loose a reign of terror" since morning to prevent their candidates from filing their papers.
Interestingly, both ruling TMC and BJP claimed that the deceased in Birbhum belonged to their party. The Indian Express reported that the body is yet to be identified.
The filing of nominations, which began at 11 am, continued till 3 pm.
Taking note of the clashes and disruptions, the Calcutta High Court had on Friday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to extend the date of filing of nomination papers.
All opposition parties in West Bengal — BJP, Congress and CPI(M) — raised complaints that TMC “goons” had attacked their party workers with crude bombs and firearms.
"Since the morning, goons of the TMC are trying to terrorise our candidates. The police and administration are mute spectators," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.
The SEC had earlier asked the police to make adequate security arrangements to prevent any untoward incident during the filing process.
The opposition parties alleged that incidents of violence had occurred in Murshidabad, Malda and South 24 Parganas districts.
A senior TMC leader brushed off the allegations as "baseless" and blamed the opposition for "vitiating peace" in some parts of the state.
The dates for the polls, which were earlier scheduled to be held on May 1, 3 and 5, are yet to be announced by the commission.
The nominations received on Monday would be scrutinised on April 25. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is April 28.
Similar clashes earlier this month had disrupted the nomination process in several parts of the state.
On Monday, both Congress and the BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of "letting loose a reign of terror" since morning to prevent their candidates from filing their papers.
Interestingly, both ruling TMC and BJP claimed that the deceased in Birbhum belonged to their party. The Indian Express reported that the body is yet to be identified.
The filing of nominations, which began at 11 am, continued till 3 pm.
Taking note of the clashes and disruptions, the Calcutta High Court had on Friday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to extend the date of filing of nomination papers.
All opposition parties in West Bengal — BJP, Congress and CPI(M) — raised complaints that TMC “goons” had attacked their party workers with crude bombs and firearms.
"Since the morning, goons of the TMC are trying to terrorise our candidates. The police and administration are mute spectators," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.
The SEC had earlier asked the police to make adequate security arrangements to prevent any untoward incident during the filing process.
The opposition parties alleged that incidents of violence had occurred in Murshidabad, Malda and South 24 Parganas districts.
A senior TMC leader brushed off the allegations as "baseless" and blamed the opposition for "vitiating peace" in some parts of the state.
The dates for the polls, which were earlier scheduled to be held on May 1, 3 and 5, are yet to be announced by the commission.
The nominations received on Monday would be scrutinised on April 25. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is April 28.