Rs 2L ex-gratia, jobs to next of kin dead in Panchayat polls: CM
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each of those who have been killed in connection with violence associated with the Panchayat elections in the state and expressed profound grief over the deaths.
“19 persons have died since the notification for the Panchayat elections came out, 10-12 of them belong to our party (Trinamool Congress). On the day of the polls, seven persons were killed and four of them belonged to our party. Our government will offer compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family members of everybody irrespective of their political affiliation and a job of special home guard will be given to the next of kin of all those victims,” Banerjee who is also the chairperson of Trinamool Congress said.
Banerjee, who also holds charge of the state Home ministry, said she has given police a free hand to take action against those behind the violence.
She lashed out at the Central paramilitary forces and questioned their role during the violence at Bhangar in South 24-Parganas on Tuesday night in which three people died.
“How did violence spread in Bhangar? The Central force was deployed there. How did the police suffer gunshot injury?” she questioned.
Banerjee maintained that TMC had won after counting in Bhangar.
But the BDO was forced to declare victory for the Opposition.
“We have not won in Bhangar. The Opposition had formed an unholy nexus. Arabul lost, but we maintained silence. One or two seats hardly matter,” she added.
Bhangar has been witnessing sporadic violence since the nomination process started.
“Bhangar has often seen unrest since the installation of the power grid began there. Everybody knows who is responsible for such disturbance in Bhangar,” Banerjee said.
Addressing a TMC rally at the conclusion of Abhishek Banerjee’s mass outreach programme in Kakdwip, South 24-Parganas, last month, the TMC supremo had launched an indirect attack on Naushad Siddique (without taking his name) and accused the ISF MLA of engineering the violence at Bhangar by misleading a section of the minorities and joining hands with the BJP.
Banerjee came down heavily on the BJP with the saffron party’s fact-finding team arriving in Bengal to probe the Panchayat poll violence.
Lashing out at BJP, Banerjee questioned: “Where was the fact-finding team when Manipur was burning? Where was this team when Assam was burning due to NRC? How many commissions visited these places?
She termed the fact-finding teams as “BJP’s provocation committees” and said in two years, close to 154 teams have visited Bengal.
“These are BJP’s provocation committees, not the fact-finding committees,” she said.
Banerjee reiterated that some people have been victims of circumstances and her party had never wanted violence during the elections.
“I will appeal to all to maintain peace and harmony and not to get provoked by instigation by the BJP. I will not allow division of Bengal,” she added.
The Trinamool supremo thanked the masses after her party registered a thumping victory in the Panchayat polls.
“I want to thank all those who opposed us. By criticising us, they have helped us,” she remarked.
She asserted that her party had to fight a lot of “false propaganda” ahead of the elections.
“When I was in the Opposition, I had to face physical attacks and now, when the BJP is in power, they have crossed all limits of false propaganda. Why do you all have such hatred towards me? Is it because I come from a backward family? Is it because I speak of unity?” she questioned.
Reacting to allegations that many ballots in favour of Trinamool Congress have been cancelled, Banerjee lashed out at the coordination committee that had acted as the presiding officer.
“They had not signed the ballot papers in many places. Why will action not be taken against them,” she asked.
Banerjee further added that Martyrs’ Day on July 21 will be celebrated as a ‘Tribute Day’ to pay homage to all those who have been victims of political violence.
