BJP worker’s death triggers fresh allegations of political violence in Bengal

Party blames it on TMC which in turn says “it’s politics of the dead”

The body of a BJP supporter was found at Goghat in West Bengal Hooghly district on Sunday triggering allegations of political murder by the party leadership. Senior party leaders like State BJP president Dilip Ghosh and party national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya described it as murder and blamed it on the Trinamool Congress.

The family members and locals said Ganesh Roy was missing from home since Saturday evening and his body was discovered near the station in the morning.

“Today our mandal secretary Ganesh Roy has been killed. His body was found hanging from a tree. Similar incidents have to come to the fore in different parts of the State. Our MLA Debendra Nath Roy was also killed. Similar incidents have come from Purulia,” Mr. Ghosh said.

Mr. Vijayvargiya launched a direct attack on the Trinamool and alleged that when “fear, goondaism and violence becomes the modus operandi of a party then we have to understand that its end is near”.

Urban Development Minister and TMC leader Firhad Hakim said the BJP is indulging in “politics of the dead”. Mr. Hakim said those who are joining the BJP “suffer from a sense of guilt”.

Police station attacked

Later in the day, hundreds of people attacked the Sundarban coastal police in the Gosaba block of South 24 Parganas. According to locals, a number of BJP workers were attacked on Saturday and the police intervened and took some people into custody. On Sunday a mob attacked the police station to release the accused. A number of BJP leaders posted videos of the violence on social media.

“The anti-socials are now attacking the police. Since the police are used by the ruling party to further its political interest, they have lost their credibility,” Mr. Ghosh said. The TMC leadership said the law will take its own course and whoever is guilty of attacking the police station won’t be spared.