Claiming that the “violence unleashed in the aftermath of elections in West Bengal has led to a humanitarian crisis” in the state, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Friday asserted that members of his party should be lauded for putting up a “valiant fight against the goons of the ruling TMC”.

Patra, who undertook a door-to-door campaign during the day for his party’s Bhawanipore bypoll candidate Priyanka Tibrewal, told reporters that “women were raped before their children and BJP activists hanged to death or fatally thrashed by TMC miscreants” following the declaration of Assembly poll results in the state on 2 May.

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“Mamata Banerjee can take credit for one thing. West Bengal occupies the number one spot in the country for post-poll violence. Hats off to the judiciary for trying to ensure justice for the families of innumerable BJP workers who were killed, beaten up or raped by Trinamool goons.

“If you (TMC) win, should you unleash wrath on your political rivals by inflicting torture on them? Is that what happens in a democracy? And Mamata didi keeps talking about democracy,” he stated. Patra further said that “BJP workers should be appreciated for valiantly fighting the TMC terror”.

Urging the chief minister “to pay heed to the cries of mothers of slain BJP workers”, the BJP spokesperson said, “whatever be the election results in Bhawanipore, please do not ignore their tears”. “The CM only wants to fulfil her ambitions… and this was apparent from her move to force the winning Trinamool candidate in Bhawanipore to step down,” he maintained.

State agriculture minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, who had won Assembly elections from Bhawanipore, vacated the seat shortly after the results were declared, thus facilitating a bypoll in the constituency, which is also the
home turf of the CM.

Miss Banerjee, who faced defeat in Nandigram, needs to get elected to the legislature within six months of taking oath as the chief minister, in accordance with the constitutional provisions. Noting that the TMC-led government was pulled up by the court in the recent past,

Patra said, “From the high court’s order nullifying a ban and allowing Durga puja procession on Dashami to the observations made in post-poll violence cases, the ruling camp has suffered many reverses.” Patra, who held a ‘Cha Chakra’ (tea session) with local people in Bhawanipore’s Ladies Park area, alleged that voters have been threatened of consequences if they fail to cast a ballot in favour of the TMC.

Rebuffing the assertions made by Patra, senior TMC leader and transport minister Firhad Hakim said that the “BJP is weaving a false narrative around some stray incidents after the elections” but the situation in Bengal, in reality, is far better than some saffron party-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh.

“Sensing defeat, Patra is levelling baseless charges against the TMC. People in Bhabanipur love neighbourhood daughter Mamata Banerjee and will definitely vote for her in large numbers,” Hakim added.