A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was killed in Halisahar in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas with the party alleging political violence and blaming Trinamool Congress workers for the murder. Saikat Bhawal, BJP booth president of Ward No. 43 from Halisahar Municipality, was allegedly attacked by miscreants during the ‘Griha Samprak Abhiyaan’ (door-to-door outreach campaign) of the party.
“Another day, another murder! Saikat Bhawal, BJP worker from Halisahar was brutally murdered by TMC goons while 6 others are critically injured and fighting for their lives. He was targeted during BJP’s door to door outreach “Aar Noi Annay”. Pishi [aunt, referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee] can’t retain power like this!” the BJP’s West Bengal unit posted on its official Twitter handle.
BJP MP from Barrackpore blamed the Trinamool Congress and said that it was a planned attack on BJP’s supporters. Mr. Singh said that seven BJP workers had been injured in the attack and one remained a critical condition. “Saikat Bhowal, BJP Worker has been killed by @AITCOfficial goons in Bizpore ( Bizpur) Assembly area but the @MamataOfficial’s police is busy in conducting raid at my office-cum-residence Majdoor Bhawan. This is the politics of Didi,” the BJP vice president said, referring to a raid on his office.
Bizpur MLA and BJP leader Mukul Roy’s son Subhrangshu Roy, who visited the hospital where BJP workers were taken after the attack, warned of “repercussion” to the political murder. The Trinamool Congress leadership, including MLA Partha Bhowmick from North 24 Parganas, said that the murder had nothing to do with politics. TMC leaders said that the death was a result of personal vendetta.
Political killings have become an important issue in the State’s political discourse in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly polls. The BJP leadership, including party president J.P. Nadda, has claimed that 130 BJP workers have been killed in the State in political violence at the hands of Trinamool Congress supporters.
