: As political parties stepped up their campaign ahead of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls scheduled on April 18, the BJP alleged here on Sunday that its party members were attacked by workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) at a public meeting.
“About 10 BJP members in ward number 108 [in Anandapur in the eastern fringes of the city] were beaten up late on Saturday night by TMC workers. One person is grievously injured and has been admitted to R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. If this is the situation in Kolkata, imagine how many people are being attacked by the ruling party in the rest of West Bengal,” BJP State president Rahul Sinha said at a meeting.
Confirming the attacks, Officer in Charge of Anandapur police station, Debojit Bhattacharya said the case was being investigated. “Two persons were injured. No mention was made of any political party,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.
Mr. Sinha, however, claimed that the police had refused to name the TMC in the FIR. He added that he along with BJP leaders Siddharth Nath Singh, S.S. Ahluwalia, Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo would be visiting the area later in the day.
Rally
Led by Mr. Singh, Mr. Ahluwalia, Mr. Sinha, recently-inducted members and actors Rupa Ganguly and Locket Chatterjee, the BJP took out a rally from its party office in central Kolkata till Esplanade during the day to protest against the alleged attacks on its cadres by the TMC.
Stating that there was no room for terror in a democracy, Mr. Singh said the TMC’s rule in Bengal was reminiscent of the British rule in India.
Police refused to name the TMC in the FIR
Rahul Sinha
BJP State president
