The Bagbazar ghat in Kolkata on Wednesday witnessed hours of a political commotion over a 'tarpan' programme organised by the State unit of Bharatiya Janata party (BJP).
Family members of more than 20 BJP workers who were allegedly killed in political violence had assembled near Bagbazar ghat, to perform the Hindu ritual of tarpan - offering of prayers to the departed.
Kolkata Police, however, did not allow the BJP supporters to assemble and perform the ritual. A stage set up by the BJP was also dismantled.
The BJP leadership took the supporters to a nearby Golabari Ghat on the river Hooghly and performed the ritual. There was a scuffle between the police personnel and BJP supporters and a few BJP supporters were taken in custody.
'TMC govt working for 30% of population'
Senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, who was present at Bagbazar targeted the Trinamool Congress government accusing it "of working for the benefit of only 30% population of the state", leaving out the 70 % of the population.
The BJP national general secretary's reference was aimed at nearly 30% minority population in the State. As per the last census the the minority population in the State stands at 27.01%
"Why is this government against Hinduism and its rituals? Our party workers were stopped by the police from performing tarpan'. Later, we had to organise it somewhere else," Mr Vijayvargiya said.
The BJP leader said that “after we are voted to power in West Bengal next year, we will work for the entire population of the state and not just for a specific community”.
Mr Vijayvargiya raked up the issue of Statewide lockdown on August 5, the day of foundation stone laying at Ayodhya for the construction of Ram Temple.
The Trinamool Congress responded by saying that the BJP was indulging in politics by organizing events like ‘tarpan’. The BJP leadership had organised a similar programme last year on the day of Mahalaya where senior party leaders like J.P. Nadda were present.
The BJP claims that about 100 party workers have been killed in political violence in West Bengal since 2014.