BJP state president Dilip GhoshBJP leaders have demanded the removal of East Midnapore District Magistrate (DM), following an attack on the convoy of state party president Dilip Ghosh in Khejuri on Tuesday. Assam Deputy Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was part of the convoy, which was attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers, while it was coming back from a rally, addressed by Amit Shah.
In a letter submitted to the Chief Electoral Office (CEO), the BJP wrote, “We strongly demand replacement of the District Magistrate of Purba Midnapore, Superintendent of Police of Purba Midnapore, SDPO of the area concerned and the inspector in-charge of Khejuri police station. A case must be filed against the culprits, including the local MLA Ranajit Mondal, his security guard and other TMC leaders. The allegation should include “brutal attack on peaceful persons with murderous intent” along with other sections of the Indian Penal Code. The culprits who can be easily identified from video footage should be arrested, including the local MLA. It is important to conduct free and fair election in these areas on 12th May. The Commission must ensure deployment of CAPF in adequate numbers of area domination and booth protection of these two adjacent Lok Sabha constituencies — Tamluk and Kanthi.”
The BJP alleged that before the attack on the convoy, party supporters had also been targeted twice during a roadshow that was taken out from Talla and Kunjapur under Khejuri police station.
According to the BJP, the first attack took place at 5.45 pm, under the leadership of the local TMC MLA. The party supporters, including BJP candidate Debashish Samanta, had been beaten up.
Mentioning the second attack, the letter said: “The main rally was proceeding through Tekhali bridge and when it reached Tentulia area at 6.30pm, there was again a gruesome attack this time on the main rally by the armed TMC goons… Several vehicles were damaged and several people were injured. It is clear that it was pre-planned with direct collusion and connivance of the district police authority and local police.”
The BJP alleged that the district police did nothing to stop the attackers.
The third incident was the attack on the convoy that took place around 8 pm.
“During these three attacks, spanning over two-and-a-half hour, the district as well as local police did precisely nothing to stop or avert such pre-planned, murderous criminal activities carried out by TMC goons and their leaders, who are all well-known to the police”, said BJP leader Jay Prakash Majumdar.
While BJP blamed Trinamool Congress for the attack, senior Trinamool Congress leader and state minister Suvendu Adhikari denied any role of party workers in the incident.
“We do not believe in such dirty politics. Goons backed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) might have been behind the incident,” Adhikari was quoted as saying.
