TMC-turned-BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Monday attacked the West Bengal government over the death of DYFI leader Maidul Islam Midya.
Midya an activist of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), a CPI-M youth wing, was critically injured during the Left Front March to the secretariat on February 11. He was admitted to a private hospital where he died this morning.
Hitting out at the TMC government, Adhikari alleged that it was a pre-planned attack on the Left Front workers last week. He further said that only a BJP government in West Bengal could stop this “brutality and atrocities”.
“This incident [death of Midya] is the proof of state government’s brutality and atrocities. The only way out of it is a Narendra Modi-supported democratic government in West Bengal. There’s no alternative to it,” Adhikari was quoted as saying by Bengali portal The Wall.
The TMC-turncoat added, “They had democratically gone to demand jobs. The crowds could have been dispersed with water cannons and tear gas. But beating someone to deat doesn’t happen in a normal state.”
The Nandigram movement leader was also seen reminding the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about her history of leading agitations against the state government and police force.
“She came to power after the [then Left Front government’s] police fired in Nandigram. Now she is using the police as same and killing youths,” Adhikari said.
31-year-old Midya, a resident of Bankura, was an auto driver by profession.
An FIR was registered with Shakespeare Sarani police station in the city in connection with the death, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.
“A police investigation is on. The post mortem was conducted in the presence of three doctors and has been video recorded,” said a senior police official.
The death triggered a political slugfest in the poll-bound state with CPI(M) accusing the police and Trinamool Congress government of “murdering” Midda and terming it as a “cold-blooded murder”.
The chief minister condoled the death and said her government is ready to provide a job and financial support to the bereaved family.
“I do not support any death. Every death is unfortunate. I have come to know that even his (Midda”s) family members were not informed where he was admitted. No police complaint was made in this connection,” said an agitated Banerjee after a reporter sought to know her reaction.