Setting aside their ideological differences, Opposition parties of the state fired broadsides at the Trinamul Congress state government for failing to ensure permanent normality in Bhatpara and its surrounding areas even as the North-24-Parganas town, once renowned for the pursuit of Sanskrit, was further scarred by violence when a bullet-riddled corpse fell through a roof into a resident’s home yesterday.

Police not acting without bias, inability to combat a communal outfit and the violence being only a part of the unrest engulfing parts of the state were some of the reasons set forth for the fragile peace being shattered. “Instead of trying to politically tackle the unrest after BJP gained political ascendancy in the area, the ruling party of the state, Trinamool Congress’ throwing in all its might to win a turf war has escalated the violence,” former PCC chief Pradip Bhattacharya said today.

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The police seem to be targeting only the criminals owing allegiance to BJP and not those loyal to Trinamul, he said. As long as the violence is sought to be stopped in this manner, there is no point in announcing that peace will return after a certain time span, the Rajya Sabha member said. Tackling the law and order situation with a bias towards one of the groups involved in the mischief is no way to gain the confidence of the people, he felt.

This is why people’s anger is being vented at the police, the veteran leader said. The arrival of the police is not being looked at as the beginning of the end of violence, he added. The intent of the Trinamul Congress state government about ending the violence at Bhatpara is unclear, CPI-M central committee member, Sujan Chakraborty said.

A communal mindset appears to be at work, he felt. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has failed to keep her commitment to bringing back peace to Bhatpara within a certain time frame, the Jadavpur MLA said. Peace will not return to Bhatpara as long as there is the absence of political will to tackle the situation, he said. Bhatpara’s unrest should not be considered in isolation when large parts of the state are smouldering with violence, former state BJP chief, Rahul Sinha said.

With Trinamul leaders apprehensive of returning the “cut money” they do not seem to have the time to ensure peace at Bhatpara, he said.