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Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condemned the killing of eight people following the murder of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat leader in West Bengal’s Birbhum district and expressed hope that the state government will punish the culprits.
“I express my condolences over the violence in Birbhum. I hope state government will take strict action against the culprits,” Modi said while virtually attending a programme at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. “Those who commit such crimes and those who encourage such criminals should not be forgiven. The Centre will extend all assistance to the state to bring the culprits to justice.”
Eight people were burnt to death in the Rampurhat area of Birbhum on Tuesday after a mob set houses on fire following the killing of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh.Sheikh was a resident of Bogtui village and his supporters allegedly went on a murderous rampage after his killing. The incident was likely the fallout of old rivalry between two factions of the TMC, according to residents of Bogtui, who are mostly Muslims and fled soon after the incident,
The TMC said the state administration was handling the probe even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was heading to the spot on Thursday.
“We are running the government. Why would we want a murder, bloodshed and bomb blast? Such things are done by those who are not in power just to harass the government and malign us,” she said at a government programme in Kolkata.
On Thursday another team set up by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda is expected to reach Birbhum.
“The state government has already condemned the incident. An SIT (special investigation team) has been set up, two police officers have been removed and a few persons have been arrested,” said Partha Chatterjee, TMC minister. “The administration is strictly handling it. We have faith on the state police. The guilty won’t be spared. But it was good to hear that the PM has extended the Centre’s assistance.”
Modi’s assurance came soon after BJP leaders in West Bengal demanded a central probe in the Birbhum massacre. The principal opposition party in the state also demanded Banerjee’s resignation.
“I have already written to the Union home secretary urging that the NIA (National Investigation Agency) should probe into the bomb blast that killed the panchayat leader. The chief minister is coming to Birbhum to tamper all evidence related to the massacre,” said Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the Opposition in West Bengal legislative assembly, who headed a BJP team to Birbhum.
Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, sent a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, requesting him to invoke Article 355 in West Bengal. “In view of the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal, I request you to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution to ensure that the government of West Bengal is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution,” Chowdhury wrote.
On Wednesday, the BJP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) sent a team each to Bogtui village where the killings took place. A TMC team headed by state minister Firhad Hakim visited the village on Tuesday.
Banerjee hinted at Opposition’s hand behind the massacre.
“I will go there tomorrow (March 24). I planned to go there today (March 23). I was ready. But some political parties are going there and having sweets. I don’t want to go there when they (opposition parties) are there. I don’t want to quarrel with them unnecessarily,” she added.
Such incidents have happened in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan too, Banerjee said. “I am not justifying the incident in Rampurhat. We will take action in a fair manner.”
Banerjee was also locked in a war words with West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who said he was “pained and disturbed” to see “human rights in decimation and law and order capsised” in the state. Later, Banerjee shot off a letter to him, alleging his statements were politically motivated.
Dhankhar wrote a letter on Wednesday claiming the state government’s actions in the matter smacked of “political overtones” and an attempt to shield the guilty. Banerjee hit back, saying he was always trying to tarnish the state’s image.
“There is a Saheb sitting here. At the drop of a hat, he would say that West Bengal is the worst state. Every day he is moving around from Darjeeling to Jalpaiguri and abusing the government. Some important persons have informed me that they are being instructed by the governor to carry out raids at specific places. I know everything,” Banerjee said.
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