Even as thousands of Bharatiya Janata Party workers staged protests all over the country and condemned post-election violence in West Bengal, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs sent a four-member, high-power committee to assess the ground situation and recommend appropriate action to contain the menace. While no official indication stemmed from corridors of power about any specific Central action, some observers considered a possible imposition of President’s Rule in the State if the third-term Mamata Banerjee Government failed to measure up to the mob frenzy. Meanwhile, the situation became grimmer with vandalisation of the convoy of Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan Panchkuri village in West Midnapore.

 

The Central team tasked with looking into reasons for the post-poll violence in West Bengal, arrived in the State on Thursday. Led by an Additional Secretary of the Ministry, the team visited the State Secretariat and held a meeting with the Home Secretary and DGP, sources said. The team, which will also assess the ground situation in the State, is likely to visit several areas in the city as well as South 24 Parganas, Godkhali, Sunderbans and Jaggadal, they said. The Ministry had on Wednesday sent a terse reminder to the West Bengal Government to submit a detailed report on the post-poll violence and to take necessary measures to stop such incidents “without any loss of time”. It has also asked West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar to give a report on the law and order situation in the State, particularly the violence that took place following the election results on May 2. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that 16 people have lost their lives in post-poll violence in the State.

 

The BJP has alleged that TMC-backed goons have killed a number of its workers, attacked women members, vandalised houses and looted shops. Rejecting the charges, Banerjee had Wednesday said violence and clashes were taking place in those areas where BJP candidates emerged victorious in the Assembly polls. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MLA Firhad Hakim hit out at the Centre for sending teams instead of COVID-19 vaccines. “They should send vaccines first, that’s the responsibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We are grieved that some people have died, and action will be taken against the culprits. “But, what will happen to the inoculation process which is stalled because of the vaccine crisis?” Hakim said. On Wednesday, the Ministry had sent a terse reminder to the West Bengal Government to submit a detailed report on the post-poll violence and to take necessary measures to stop such incidents “without any loss of time”. The Ministry had warned that the matter will be taken “seriously” in case the State fails to do so. At least six people were killed in post-poll violence in different parts of the State till Tuesday.

 

The BJP has alleged that TMC-backed goons have killed a number of its workers, attacked its women members, vandalised houses, looted shops of its members and ransacked its offices. Claiming that at least 14 BJP workers were killed and nearly one lakh people fled their homes in post-poll violence in West Bengal, party President J P Nadda alleged on Wednesday that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s silence speaks of her involvement. Banerjee rejected the charges, saying violence and clashes were taking place in those areas where the BJP candidates emerged victorious in the election. Mamata announces compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for families of post-poll violence victims: WEST Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said 16 people have lost their lives in post-poll violence in the State, and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for their families. Banerjee, during a press meet here, also said that her Government will provide jobs of home guard to one family member each of all five persons killed in CAPF firing in Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi area last month.