BJP men trying to trigger violence, threatening us, say TMC workers

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers in some parts of the state alleged that they were being subjected to atrocities, threatened and killed by BJP workers after the declaration of the state Assembly election results. They alleged that the BJP workers were trying to instigate violence at several places by creating issues out of nothing.

"Soon after the results of the Assembly elections were declared, the supporters of BJP came to our house and threatened us. They asked us to switch our party or face dire consequences. They even burnt several houses in our locality. We tried to stop them but they continued to use abusive languages against our party leadership," Sk Saddam, a resident of Bhekutia in Nandigram, said.

According to Saddam, this was intimated to the TMC leadership, which had asked them to file an FIR at Nandigram police station. Ganesh Mullick, another TMC worker of Samaspur village of East Burdwan, was found murdered near his house at 10.30 pm on Saturday.

Champa Mullick, the wife of the deceased TMC worker, said: "My husband was pacifying the workers from both parties. Around 8.30 pm, he was called to the BJP office. At 10.30 pm, we found his body lying in a pool of blood and head smashed outside BJP leader Swarup Mullick's house."

After Mullick's death, the BJP workers allegedly came to their house and threatened the family of facing dire consequences if they didn't quit Trinamool.

In places like Raidighi and Budge Budge in South 24-Parganas incidents of clashes between BJP and TMC supporters were reported. Manab Das, a resident of Thakurnagar under Gaighata Assembly constituency, said: "We have seen that in our locality that BJP leaders are trying to create an issue out of nothing and threatening the local villagers who are TMC supporters. Personal problems between two families are leading to political violence and clashes."

Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said strict action would be taken against anyone indulging in or instigating violence.

Meanwhile, BJP claimed that 12 of its workers were killed in post poll violence. The ruling TMC also claimed that at least 12 of its men were killed due to political violence. The Indian Secular Front said one of its workers has been killed.