E-Paper
Bengal governor visits Nandigram, says ‘never heard of such violence’
The ruling TMC however said that the governor’s visit was motivated as he only visited the houses of BJP workers.
Kolkata West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar turned emotional and could be seen wiping tears after meeting some of the alleged victims of post-poll violence at Nandigram in East Midnapore.
The governor’s visit to one of the most high-profile assembly constituencies, where a tough electoral battle was fought between chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her protégé-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari, triggered a political slugfest between the ruling TMC and the BJP.
“Unimaginable post poll violence @MamataOfficial Terrified people with difficulty and fear @WBPolice and reprisals at hands of ruling party workers narrate indescribable woes of horror. Appeal CM to take urgent steps to restore their confidence in the worst post poll violence,” Dhankhar tweeted.
Dhankhar alleged that the violence was being sponsored, organised and condoned by the state.
The governor visited some of the victims’ villages, sometimes by battery-driven rickshaw and sometimes on a motorcycle. He interacted with the villagers and some women could be seen wailing before him. Dhankhar could also be seen wiping his eyes more than once.
“The state is passing through a very severe crisis of Covid-19 and unprecedented post-poll violence that is retributive and targeted. I never heard of such violence. I would appeal to the chief minister. It is high time that she took note of it. We are sitting on a volcano,” he said while adding that thousands of people had to abandon their homes in West Bengal and take shelter outside the state.
On Friday, Dhankhar visited Assam’s Dhubri district and interacted with people who fled from their homes in Bengal following post-poll violence allegedly perpetrated by Trinamool Congress workers.
“The governor interacted with the affected people for nearly an hour and inquired about their condition. At present we have 176 people at Ranpagli (relief camp) and nearly 30 more at another camp in the district. While some have returned to Bengal, these people are afraid to go back as their houses had been allegedly burnt. We are providing them food and other basic necessities. They can stay in Assam as long as they desire. If they wish to go back we will facilitate their return,” Anand Mishra, superintendent of police of Dhubri, said on Friday.
The ruling TMC however said that the governor’s visit was motivated as he only visited the houses of BJP workers.
“He (Dhankhar) has demeaned the governor’s chair by giving a call for change ahead of the assembly elections. The BJP lost because the people discarded them. Now he is moving around like an unsatisfied spirit and trying to disturb the peace,” said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.
The TMC supremo’s chief election agent at Nandigram Sk Sufiyan alleged that the helipad where the governor’s chopper landed was built by the BJP during the elections. The governor went to Nandigram in a BSF (Border Security Force) chopper.
While the BSF refused to comment, senior police officials said that the helipad was already there and was built during the elections.
“At least 24 BJP workers and supporters have been killed so far in poll-related violence. The BJP’s state headquarters have received more than 17,000 complaints from its workers and supporters of TMC’s torture and atrocities. BJP workers are not being able to return home as they are scared. Fresh violence was triggered in the villages where a team of the ministry of home affairs visited to take stock of the violence. The state should take care of the homeless people,” said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson in West Bengal.
He said the governor cried because he could not take the pain. “Anyone who sees such pain would cry,” Bhattacharya said.
