BJP national president J P Nadda on Saturday set up a four-member committee to probe the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal, a move welcomed by the party’s state unit. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, criticised it as “another drama by the BJP”.
The committee includes party MPs Biplab Kumar Deb, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Brij Lal and Kavita Patidar with Deb as its convener.
A statement issued by the BJP’s national general secretary Arun Singh said, “We have just seen Lok Sabha elections conclude across 28 States and 8 Union Territories of India. Among the Assembly elections held, along with the national election, two states saw transfer of power. All this has happened peacefully, with no instance of political violence reported from anywhere, except for West Bengal, which continues to be in the vice grip of post poll violence, the kind we saw post 2021 Assembly elections.”
The party further accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of taking no action to control the violence. “West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remains a mute spectator, while criminals of her party, attack and intimidate opposition workers and voters, with impunity. Even the Calcutta High Court has taken note of these excesses and extended deployment of CAPF till 21st Jun and has listed the matter for further review on 18th,” it said.
“In such a scenario, BJP National President Shri JP Nadda has constituted a committee to visit West Bengal and take immediate stock of the situation and report further,” read the statement.
The BJP has alleged widespread post-poll violence after the Lok Sabha results were declared. A few days ago, the Calcutta High Court extended the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) until June 21 and scheduled a further hearing on June 18.
The state BJP welcomed the central leadership’s decision to set up a four-member committee. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said, “Lok Sabha polls were held across the country but post poll violence only took place in West Bengal. This is nothing but TMC’s way of taking revenge of people for supporting the BJP in the election. Houses of BJP workers have been vandalised, party workers have been chased away from homes and people are being threatened. This is the kind of reign of terror which has been unleashed by the TMC. We welcome the central BJP leadership for taking a holistic approach and forming a committee to investigate the incidents.”
Slamming the BJP’s move, senior TMC leader Santanu Sen said it was another attempt by the BJP to malign West Bengal’s image. “This is nothing but another drama by the BJP. It is evident that the party has not learnt its lessons from the electoral losses in Bengal. The more they target the people here, the more they will be alienated from them. In Lok Sabha polls they have been rejected by the people in Bengal. In 2026 state Assembly polls, they will be decimated by the people,” said Sen.