After the third time elected Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee played down the brutal post-poll violence on going in her state by the TMC cadre, she has now announced compensation to the kin of the victims who died in the attack. While declaring the compensation, Banerjee accepted that as many as eight BJP karyakartas have lost their lives in the brutality.
Mamata Banerjee in her announcement said, “Those who died in the post-poll violence will be given a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs each without any discrimination. Under law and order by EC, 16 were killed half of whom are from TMC and half from BJP, one was from Sanjukta Morcha.”
Those who died in the post-poll violence will be given a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs each without any discrimination. Under law and order by EC, 16 were killed half of whom are from TMC and half from BJP, one was from Sanjukta Morcha: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/OzJGQn99f2
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2021
It is interesting to note that Mamata Banerjee in a recent interview declared that the news of clashes in West Bengal is nothing but BJP’s propaganda and devoid of any truth. However, her claim does not match her latest action of offering compensation.
U turn level by hitler Mamata – Kejriwal
— Amit Kumar (@AMIT_GUJJU) May 6, 2021
She announced compensation now for the people who are dead, in the violence which she declared propaganda of BJP 👎👎 pic.twitter.com/VEdOEba1hl
The announcement, however, is an acknowledgment by the Mamata Banerjee government that post-poll violence has indeed taken place in the state.
TMC leaders claim all reports of violence to be fake
AITC leader Derek O’Brien has been putting out Tweet after Tweet to claim that either the reports of violence are fake or that that the political killings are due to in-party fighting with the TMC having no role to play. However, the videos emerging have a different story to tell.
BJP IT cell could have given trolls some time off after results. All cases on SM are BJP intra-party fights. Three+
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) May 3, 2021
factions in Bengal. They hate each other.
MO-SHA came here and spread hate for the last four months. Bengal wants peace and harmony. BJP wants divisiveness https://t.co/MAXXs6sv13
On the other hand, TMC’s silence on the death of its own party workers is questionable.
Mahua Moitra, a TMC leader who has been accused of plagiarism time and again claimed that the BJP is trying to take off the attention from the coronavirus pandemic by creating a false environment of violence. Her Tweet read, “@BJP fake news factories working overtime on Bengal to distract attention from covid catastrophe & PM’s failures. GodiMedia lapping it all up.”
@BJP fake news factories working overtime on Bengal to distract attention from covid catastrophe & PM’s failures.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) May 4, 2021
GodiMedia lapping it all up.
West Bengal governor lashes at the state government
West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar, however, went on record multiple times to talk about the post-poll violence in West Bengal which resulted in many party workers and supporters fleeing the state.
The governor had urged the Chief Minister to get the law and order situation in the state under control at the earliest during Banerjee’s oath taking ceremony.
Lashing out at the media today during an interaction for covering up the tyranny, governor Jagdeep Dhankar said that Banerjee has failed to take concrete steps to curb the violence and that words are no substitute to actions. Slamming the media for its ignorance, the governor said that retributive political violence cannot be tolerated.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar @jdhankhar1 calls a spade a spade. Absolutely direct… and spot on. 🙏#MamataBanerjee is duty-bound to stop the retributive political violence.
— Shwetank (@shwetankbhushan) May 6, 2021
Enough is enough! pic.twitter.com/96fwdyj5wt
The governor had also tweeted earlier saying, “Concerned at unabated reports of unprecedented post-poll retributive heart-rendering violence in spite of flagging this @MamataOfficial @WBPolice @KolkataPolice. Such senseless violence shames democracy. Such collapse of law and order will neither be overlooked nor countenanced.”
Concerned at unabated reports of unprecedented post poll retributive heart rendering violence inspite of flagging this @MamataOfficial @WBPolice @KolkataPolice.
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) May 5, 2021
Such senseless violence shames democracy. Such collapse of law and order will neither be overlooked nor countenanced.
Current situation in West Bengal
Meanwhile, SOS calls and messages continue to emerge from the state where certain party workers have been crying for help.
The Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan who was on his way to meet the families of BJP karyakartas and supporters who lost their lives in the incidents of violence was attacked by the TMC goons.
TMC goons attacked my convoy in West Midnapore, broken windows, attacked personal staff. Cutting short my trip. #BengalBurning @BJP4Bengal @BJP4India @narendramodi @JPNadda @AmitShah @DilipGhoshBJP @RahulSinhaBJP pic.twitter.com/b0HKhhx0L1
— V Muraleedharan (@VMBJP) May 6, 2021
Hundreds of BJP party workers and supporters, along with their families were forced to flee their village along with their families. They crossed over to Assam where they have been provided temporary shelter under supervision by minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
It is not just the BJP but even CPI(M) which has accused the TMC of killing its workers.
Reports of attacks on BSF jawans have also emerged in the media.
Home Ministry sends a four member panel to assess the ground situation
Taking cognizance of the rampant violence, the central govt had asked the state government to send a report on the ongoing violence, but as the state govt failed to that, now a four-member fact-finding central team has been sent to West Bengal by the Union Home Ministry of India to study the situation.
The team, which would be led by the additional secretary of the ministry, would have to assess the ground situation in the state and submit its report on post-poll violence in the next 48-72 hours to the Union Home Ministry.