CM Mamata Banerjee interacts with the victims' kin in Birbhum. (Express Photo)Birbhum violence case Live Updates: Soon after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered arrest of Trinamool Rampurhat-1 block president Anarul Sheikh, he was arrested from Tarapith. She also lashed out at the police, stating that the “incident could have been avoided if the police had gone immediately”. “The DIB (District Intelligence Bureau) and IC (inspector in charge) did not fulfil their responsibility. Action must be taken against those who knowingly did not perform their duty,” said Banerjee.
In Bogtui, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday met the families of the victims and announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for rebuilding the scorched homes. Apart from this, she announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the victims, and Rs 50,000 each to those injured. Promising jobs to ten families affected by the violence, Banerjee added that she would ensure “speedy justice”.
Security was ramped up ahead of the CM’s visit in the violence-hit district, where eight people, including women and children, were killed on Tuesday. A Congress delegation including party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was stopped at Santiniketan in Birbhum shortly before Banerjee arrived, ANI reported. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court Wednesday sought a status report on the Birbhum violence from the West Bengal government within 24 hours. Eight charred bodies were recovered from a cluster of houses in Bugtoi village on Tuesday. The violence was reportedly sparked by the murder of a deputy gram pradhan, Bhadu Sheikh, associated with the TMC. Hours after the murder, a cluster of houses, including those of the accused in Bhadu’s murder, was allegedly attacked and set on fire.
Villegers gathering in front of Bhadu Sheikh's house. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
"CM Mamata Banerjee wants to buy dead bodies by providing money & job to families of deceased. There'll be many such incidents if govt won't look into root causes. She can't control the law & order situation. We want an impartial probe by CBI & NIA," BJP's Sukanta Majumdar said.
West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar condemned the Birbhum violence and said he couldn't recall any incident as horrifying as this in last 10-20 years in Bengal. "CM Mamata Banerjee should have come earlier. We can't recall if something as horrific as this (Birbhum violence) had happened in the last 10-20 years," he sais. Echoing Vijayvargiya's words, he said, "These killings resemble the barbarism of the middle ages, people were locked & set ablaze alive."
Vijayvargiya claimed that there is a nexus of criminals, officials and political party instead of democracy in the state. "Dissidents against govt are either manhandled or are murdered. Governor is also treated in this manner.If situation aggravates like this, we'll demand President's rule," he added while speaking to ANI.
BJP leader Kailasj Vijayvargiya on Thursday said West Bengal is in a state on anarchy. "After the Assembly elections in 2021, BJP workers' houses were set ablaze. These killings (Birbhum violence) are happening under the aegis of govt. People are living in an atmosphere of terror," ANI quoted him as saying.
Soon after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered arrest of Trinamool Rampurhat-1 block president Anarul Sheikh, he was arrested from Tarapith on Thursday. She also lashed out at the police, stating that the “incident could have been avoided if the police had gone immediately”. “The DIB (District Intelligence Bureau) and IC (inspector in charge) did not fulfil their responsibility. Action must be taken against those who knowingly did not perform their duty,” said Banerjee.
"I've demanded that Section 355 of Constitution be invoked in state. We have also demanded a Court-monitored CBI probe. Bengal CM had come here on a picnic today. She came on a helicopter, held meeting, had food and then left. She should have listened to the locals," ANI quoted Adhit Ranjan Chowdhury as saying in Birbhum.
Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury on Thursday said the violence of Birbhum is a 'living example of medieval barbarism'. 'There's 'danav raj' instead of 'manav raj' here. CM has destroyed the state. Connivance b/w Police&TMC is looting the state. No other state is facing a situation like that in Bengal,' news agency ANI quoted Bengal Congress chief AR Chowdhury as saying in Rampurhat, Birbhum.
A delegation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday and demanded the removal of West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, describing him as a “threat to parliamentary democratic system” even as political heat over the Birbhum killings continued to rise.
In a letter to Shah, signed by the TMC’s Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha floor leaders, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O’Brien respectively, the party claimed the “dangerous, inhuman and brutal” killings of eight people in the incident was not an outcome of any political confrontation. Read more
A 13-member TMC delegation led by Derek O' Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in view of Birbhum violence in West Bengal.
"National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairperson Justice Arun Mishra India has taken suo motu cognisance of the Birbhum killings in West Bengal. Probe would be carried out by NHRC team there," said NHRC officials.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday visited the Bogtui village in the state’s Birbhum district, where eight people were killed, and lashed out at the police, stating that the “incident could have been avoided if the police had gone immediately”. “The DIB (District Intelligence Bureau) and IC (inspector in charge) did not fulfil their responsibility. Action must be taken against those who knowingly did not perform their duty,” said Banerjee.
The eight people, including women and children, were killed after at least eight houses in the area were attacked and set on fire following the murder of deputy pradhan Bhadu Sheikh in Bogtui under Rampurhat on Monday evening.
“Bhadu Sheikh’s murder is very unfortunate and what happened since then is highly reprehensible,” added Banerjee as she asked the police to arrest Anarul Shiekh, the Rampurhat 1 block president. Local residents complained against Anarul, accusing him of conspiring the Bogtui firing incident. Read more
In Bogtui, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday met the families of the victims and announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for rebuilding the scorched homes. Apart from this, she announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of the victims, and Rs 50,000 each to those injured.
The family members of the victims of the Birbhum violence. Express Photos by Partha Paul
Apart from the Rs 2 lakh compensation announced for rebuilding houses, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said the government will provide Rs 5 lakhs to the next of the kin of the victims, and Rs 50,000 each to those injured.
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday called the violence in Birbhum a "shameful event" and an "indelible scar on governance".
"The burning of people alive in a democracy in this manner is very painful. I appeal to the government to learn the lessons rather than offering defence," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Following a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, "We've said that Governor of West Bengal should be removed, in view of the Rampurhat, Birbhum incident."
"His work is against our constitutional system. Parliamentary democratic system is under threat," the TMC MP was quoted as saying by ANI.
"We've given a copy of the letter by the CM for (removal of) Governor to the Home Min... Our CM (Mamata Banerjee) is catering to the situation in a fine manner. 21 persons have been arrested so far, 15 police officials have been asked to go on leave. No guilty person will be spared," he added.
Speaking to the victims of the Birbhum violence, CM Mamata Banerjee said, "You have lost a family member, but I am heart-broken".
She added, "Police will ensure that the strictest punishment is handed out to culprits responsible for Rampurhat carnage." The case filed before court should be water-tight, Banerjee was quoted as saying by PTI.
Revising her earlier statement, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the government will provide Rs 2 lakh compensation to rebuiled the houses in Birbhum's Bogtui village.
Mamata Banerjee announced Rs 1 lakh compensation for rebuilding the scorched homes and promised jobs to the victims' families.
"I want to set an example by ensuring speedy justice to the victims," she added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Bogtui village Thursday and interacted with the family of the victims.
While visiting the families of the victims of the violence in Birbhum, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she wants action against officials who haven't discharged their duties.
"Had the police taken action on time, all of this could have been avoided," Banerjee said.