A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was killed on Saturday after clashes erupted in West Bengal Hooghly’s Arambagh subdivision. The deceased was identified as Sudarshan Pramanik, aged 40.
“Sudarshan was our active booth-level worker. He was preparing to hoist the tricolour this morning. Trinamool goons attacked and killed him. We don’t know how many BJP workers will have to lay down their lives to free Bengal of jungle raj,” said Biman Ghosh, BJP leader in charge of the Arambagh subdivision.
On Saturday morning, supporters of both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress gathered to hoist the tricolour at their respective party offices in Natibpur. The venues were close to each other and the rival parties clashed.
Several BJP supporters, led by MPs Saumitra Khan and Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, blocked the State highway to Kolkata. Police had to resort to force to disperse the crowd. Hooghly’s Superintendent of Police Tathagata Basu said that eleven people have been detained in connection with the clashes . “We cannot comment on the political affiliation of the deceased. We are yet to receive any formal complaint,” he said.
West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said that the party will have to launch another freedom struggle to reinstall democracy in West Bengal. BJP leaders in the State have called for a bandh in Khankhul on Sunday.
