The murder of a BJP worker at Moyna in Purba Medinipur district on Tuesday (May 2) triggered a political row with parties in the Opposition targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress on the day it completed two years of governance in its third consecutive term in West Bengal. Bijaykrishna Bhuniya, a local booth president of BJP, was found dead earlier in the day and his family members and BJP leadership alleged that local Trinamool supporters were behind the murder.
Cricketer-turned-MLA Ashok Dinda and BJP supporters blocked roads in Moyna, demanding justice for the murder of a party worker. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also joined the protests and targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the death. “This is Mamata Banerjee’s gift to the people on the second anniversary of her third term. The post-mortem (of the deceased) will not be performed at a hospital of Mamata Banerjee. The family will approach the Calcutta Court demanding investigation by the CBI,” he said. The BJP has called for a 12-hour bandh in Moyna on Wednesday (May 3).
According to the family members of the deceased BJP worker, a group of locals abducted Bhuniya in front of his family members on Monday evening (May 1). The body was found far from his house in the early hours of Tuesday. The BJP leadership alleged that former Trinamool MLA from Moyna Sangram Dolui was behind the murder.
Stating that the Trinamool Congress was not involved in the incident, Mr. Dolui suggested that the death could be the result of a family feud.
A senior police officer of Purba Medinipur district said that the body has been found in a waterbody and a case has been started, adding that no arrest has been made so far.
The murder coinciding with the Trinamool government’s two-year milestone had Opposition parties directing all their criticism at the ruling party. The BJP leadership held a ‘martyrs day’ rally in Kolkata’s Esplanade area, where the entire top brass of the party was present.
Mr. Adhikari pointed out that three BJP workers have been killed in the past 10 days in West Bengal. BJP State president Sukanta Majumdar gave a list of 11 BJP supporters who have been killed before panchayat elections in the State. BJP leaders also brought out a rally to pay respects to the ‘martyrs’ killed in political violence.
Congress State president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also condemned the death of BJP workers and added that political activists of no party should be killed.
Political violence both between the Opposition parties and Trinamool Congress as well as factions of the ruling party has emerged as a challenge for the West Bengal government in the past two years.
Mamata calls Opposition unity
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated all the people of Bangla for their relentless support and called for a change of the government in the Centre during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“For the interest of the country, there is a need for change. If we can do so much in ( West Bengal) 12 years, then why cannot they (Union government) do anything in the past 10 years. They are only trying to change history and indulge in jumla politics and doing injustice in the name of NRC,” the Trinamool Congress chairperson said.
Emphasising that there is no power bigger than the power of people, the Chief Minister called for the unity of Opposition parties. “When all Opposition parties come together, BJP will lose the battle and India will win the war against divisive forces,” she added.
