"State-sponsored murder of democracy": BJP slams TMC; claims 45 deaths in West Bengal Panchayat polls violence

New Delhi [India], July 11 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday slammed the ruling Trinamool Congress over violence during the West Bengal panchayat polls calling it the "state sponsored" violence and claimed that at least 45 people have died in the clashes.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, while addressing a press conference said that these 'killings' are "institutional murder".
"In West Bengal, elections and violence have become synonymous...Around 45 people have been killed as far as Panchayat polls in West Bengal are concerned. Words like firing, bombing, murder and vote rigging are being used for the Panchayat elections...This is not accidental, this is a state-sponsored murder of democracy. It is an institutional murder, that is, from the police administration to the district officers and the administrative officers, everything is involved," Patra said.
He further said that the party vehemently condemns the poll violence and "murder of democracy" in West Bengal.
"Nirmam Bandyopadhyay (ruthless Mamata Banerjee), who used to talk 'maa, maati, manush', is being a mute spectator," he added.
Patra further lashed out at other parties accusing them to be 'silent' over the issue.
"Where is Rahul ji, there is no mention of your 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan', you want to open the shop of love all over India, today you are not talking about it because the mega mall of your aspirations is open there (West Bengal), he said.
The panchayat elections were held on July 8 under tight security, with approximately 5.67 crore voters participating and deciding the fate of 2.06 lakh candidates vying for 73,887 seats in rural areas of West Bengal.
However, the voting day was marred with widespread violence, looting of ballots papers and rigging. There were reports of booth capturing, damaging of ballot boxes and assault of presiding officers from several districts such as Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur and Nadia.
Reports also emerged of ballot boxes being set on fire and clashes between political parties in different locations.
As a result, re-polling was conducted in 697 booths across 22 Zilla Parishads, 9,730 Panchayat Samitis, and 63,239 Gram Panchayat seats in 19 districts of the state. The re-polling process was conducted under the supervision of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) without any reports of violence.
The State Election Commission officially announced the date for the re-polls and directed the District Panchayat Election Officer to set up the polling stations accordingly.
The decision to re-polling was prompted by allegations of ballot box tampering and the occurrence of violence, which tragically resulted in the loss of at least 19 lives.
The voting process concluded on Monday after SEC mandated a re-polling due to reports of violence at multiple polling stations on the first day.
Re-election took place at 696 stations across 19 districts, following the nullification of Saturday's polling in these areas.
Coming down heavily on TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, Patra said, "This is the Diamond Harbor model where Abhishek Banerjee is fighting for his constitution. Dadagiri politics is going on there. That counting agent, Bharatiya Janata Party and other counting agents are not being spared. This is going on all around in Bengal."
"In the previous assembly elections in 2021, around 52 people were murdered. In 2018 panchayat elections, 23 people were murdered. And before that 15 people were killed in the 2013 panchayat elections in Bengal. In 2013, 15 people, in 2018, 23 people and in 2023, in the current panchayat elections, 45 people were killed," the BJP leader said. (ANI)