By Express News Service
KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Sunday courted fresh controversy by saying that more Cooch Behar-like killings may happen in the next phase of Assembly elections if “naughty boys like the ones who died in Sitalkuchi” try to take law into their hands.
Strongly reacting to the statement, TMC demanded his arrest while the CPI(M) said the comment unmasks the saffron party’s fascist face.
“Naughty boys received bullets at Sitalkuchi. If anyone dares to take the law into his hands, this will happen to him also,” Ghosh said while addressing an election rally in North 24 Parganas district.
Four persons died as CISF personnel opened fire after some people allegedly tried to snatch their rifles while voting was underway in Sitalkuchi.
“The naughty boys, who had presumed that the rifles of the central forces were just for a show during election duty, will not dare repeat the same mistake after seeing what happened in Sitalkuchi,” he said, while addressing an election rally at Baranagar in North 24 Parganas district.
Four persons died as CISF personnel opened fire after some people “attempted to snatch their rifles” while voting was underway in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency area in the fourth phase on Saturday.
“On April 17 (date of fifth phase of polling) as well, the central forces will be at the booths.
Sitalkuchi-like incidents may happen if people try to take the law into their hands,” he said.
His comment triggered protest with TMC demanding his immediate arrest.
“We demand his immediate arrest for making such an inflammatory statement which will encourage trigger happy forces and threaten the safety of voters,” TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy told reporters.
Left Front leader Sujan Chakraborty, also the CPI(M) candidate in the Jadavpur seat, said, “Dilip Ghosh is making irresponsible statements. His comment unmasks the fascist face of the BJP.”
Ghosh had earlier made several controversial statements, triggering political storms and public outrage.
Meanwhile, 11,700 demonstrations were held in south and north Bengal where TMC activists wore black badges and demanded the resignation of Home Minister Shah, naming him as the conspirator of the incident.
Four persons died on Saturday in Sitalkuchi area of Cooch Behar when CISF personnel opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles”, the police had said.
In Kolkata, TMC leader and minister Sashi Panja led protest rallies in Esplanade area, as participants lit candles and converged in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue.
Similar demonstrations were also held in Taldangra in Bankura, Canning in South 24 Parganas and in Hooghly district, TMC sources said.
The deaths have set off a political firestorm in West Bengal, with the ruling TMC and challenger BJP blaming each other for the violence, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said a CID probe will be instituted into the incident.
(With PTI Inputs)
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