(Rptng, corrtng headline)

Siliguri, Dec 07 (UNI) Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista on Monday vehemently criticised the alleged police brutality on a peaceful and democratic protest organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

In a statement, Bista said, "Today, the West Bengal Police brutally attacked a peaceful and democratic protest organized by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) against the dictatorial TMC Government in West Bengal, resulting in the death of one of our karyakartas Ulen Roy of Gajaldoba, injury of hundreds of other BJP karyakartas, and hundreds of youths have been arrested and brutally beaten up by the police."

"The protest rally which, attended by youths from across North Bengal, was organized to highlight the apathy of the TMC Government, which has caused severe lack of development and the cause of economic hardships faced by the people across North Bengal," Bista added.

"As such, the law and order situation in Bengal has crossed the danger-level mark and people here are not safe from the government and the police, which is working as their frontal organization. In the past two years, around 150 BJP karyakartas have been killed in West Bengal just for their political beliefs.

"In North Bengal, the government has set up the Uttarkanya Mini-Secretariat, which is just for namesake. The mini-secretariat has become a hub of corruption, cut money, nepotism and wastage of public money. This office serves no purpose, other than as a cut-money collection centre for TMC goons. Even for a small document like Caste Certificate, Digital Ration Card, etc, people in North Bengal have to wait for more than a year. What is the use of this office? This drain on public exchequer needs to be shut down."

"Earlier CPIM and now TMC has continued to treat North Bengal with discrimination and apathy. Despite the huge potential for economic prosperity, there are no employment opportunities for youth, because of which there is massive brain and skill drain from our region. Land mafia, illegal construction, mining, trafficking and syndicate raj have become the norm of the day. On the other hand, people are deprived from the most basic amenities like Water, Drainage, Sewerage, Roads, Old Age pensions, Widow Pension, and government welfare schemes. The healthcare infrastructure is dilapidated with most government hospitals severely lacking doctors, nurses, and staffs," Bista stated.

"The rally today was a democratic protest to let the TMC Government know that the people of Bengal have seen enough and will not tolerate injustice anymore. The huge turnout at the rally today is an indication of the change that people want under the BJP Party and our visionary leader, Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi ji," he stressed.

"The turnout scared TMC, which ordered their police accompanied by TMC goons to attack the peaceful protestors, resulting in the brutal murder of our karyakarta Ulen Roy of Gajaldoba by West Bengal police and the injury of hundreds of our karyakartas," Bista said.

"All those involved in this brutality will be brought to justice," he added.

"I pray to God to grant strength to the family members of Ulen Roy to overcome this unbearable loss, " he said.

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