Firm to stop Opposition members from filing nomination, armed TMC members run riot and killed a BJP minority cell leader Sheikh Dildar at Siuri-I block in Birbhumand district on Monday. At least 7-8 leaders received bullet injuries when they went to file nomination at the local BDO office.
“My son a BJP member was shot dead in front of my eyes by the TMC goons as he went to file nomination,” victim’s father said. An hour later the overpowering grief was overpowered by cold horror even as he retracted his statement in the presence of Trinamool strongman and Birbhum part president, Anubrata Mondal saying “my son was a Trinamool man and was killed by the BJP.”
Bengal was a fit case for Article 356, the State BJP on Monday said even as history repeated itself with gory precision leaving a trail of death and bloodshed across the State that presented the routine story of armed Trinamool cadres bettering their previous records of raining bombs and bullets on the Opposition. This, while the police looked right through the High Court directive for a peaceful filing of nomination for the Panchayat elections.
A beleaguered State Election Commission and an enslaved police force saw the opposition members — MlAs, workers alike getting badly battered at the hands of armed Triniamool brigade making it a perfect case for reference in next year’s general elections when Election Commission of India will be in command, opposition traumatised leaders claimed.
Despite strong observations from the Calcutta High Court the SEC failed to ensure safe passage to the aspiring opposition candidates who went to file nomination. Most of them returned empty handed and with grievous injuries on their persons. Incessant bombing and regular gunshots saw tens of huts by the roads leading to the BDO office —designated for filing nomination — go up in flames and fire brigade had to be brought to douse the flames, sources said.
Rampant clashes with an action replay of Birbhum was reported from Kandi and lalbag in Murshidabad where Congress MlA Manoj Chakrabarty was thrown on the road and badly beaten up by the TMC goons and a CPI(M) district office was ransacked.
From Diamond Harbour and Cannin in South 24 Parganas CPI(M) complained of similar treatment. “There are several panchayats where we could not file our nomination even on the extended day though currently we are in majority there.” Clashes took place at Dhulian near Malda where vehicle of lok Sabha Member Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury was bombed, though the MP escaped unhurt. Similar incidents were reported from Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri. At Haripal and Serampore in Hooghly the TMC gave same bloody treatment to the BJP nominees that they gave to their CPI(M) counterparts.
“Bombs and bullets rained incessantly and the police did nothing. Our men were killed and many were injured. Most of them were not allowed to file their nominations,” alleged BJP State president Dilip Ghosh adding “this is a fit case for Article 356 as there is no rule of law in Bengal.” “Police simply ignored as our men got battered and bombed by the Trinamool goons,” complained CPI(M) Assembly Party leader Sujan Chakrabarty adding his party had failed to file nomination in hundreds of seats.
Monday, was the extended day for filing nominations after the Calcutta High Court directed the SEC to extend the deadline for a day after the poll panel on April 10 withdrew its order to extend the deadline by a day before withdrawing it within hours allegedly under pressure of the State Government.
Meanwhile, the State Commission had called for detailed reports from the district SPs deferring the meeting with the State Government on the exact polling dates.