Political killings new normal in Bengal, says BJP after party leader shot dead; demands CBI probe

New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI): After a BJP leader was shot dead outside a police station in West Bengal, the saffron party slammed the TMC government on Monday, saying the state has become the “killing fields” of its workers and “political killings” have become a new normal.

Manish Sukla, a local BJP councillor, was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants on Sunday outside a police station in Titagarh of North 24 Parganas district.

On Monday, BJP activists blocked roads the district as part of a 12-hour Barrackpore ‘bandh’ against the killing. BJP workers burnt tyres and blocked major thoroughfares such as Barrackpore-Barasat Road and Kalyani Expressway, bringing traffic to a complete halt.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed concern over the law and order situation and has summoned the additional chief secretary (home) and the DGP to discuss the matter.

The BJP has demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, BJP leader Sambit Patra said he would like to ask Mamata Banerjee — “Is this the democracy in Bengal?”

“She and her representatives visit different states to talk about injustices, so I want to ask her – when will you visit the family of Manish Sukla,” Patra asked.

Claiming that more than 115 of his party workers have been killed in Bengal, Patra said, “West Bengal has become the killing fields of BJP workers under the TMC government.”

Another BJP leader and Union minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, too criticised the Opposition parties and leaders for their silence on Sukla’s killing.

“People now are fully aware of the farcical faces of the Opposition’ and the crocodile tears they shed while feeding on people’s miseries and exploiting them for political brownies.

“Killing and culling democratic voices at will is all that Didi and her neo-nazis are good at. But, Rahul Baba and his Selective Outrage Gang’ will keep silent on the killing of #ManishShukla,because for them lives do not matter if the victim does not fit in their propagandam,” Pradhan tweeted.

Making similar allegations about the RJD in poll-bound Bihar, Patra said a young Dalit leader, Shakti Malik, was killed after he left the RJD.

Patra claimed that Malik’s wife has accused RJD leaders of demanding money from him to contest elections as party nominee in the elections starting from October 28.