Murder of democracy in Bengal: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the violence in West Bengal during the panchayat elections.

Speaking at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Modi said, “It was nothing but a murder of democracy.”

“People weren’t allowed to file nominations. It isn’t only BJP people who suffered. People from all the leading parties except the one that rules Bengal suffered. This is serious. A land as great as West Bengal has to see such sights, it is unfortunate,” he said.

As many as 12 persons died in violence in West Bengal during the panchayat election, ballot boxes were burnt, ordinary voters were beaten up.

Opposition parties alleged that the ruling party was looting votes, jamming voting centres and preventing people from casting votes. They also alleged the police and the SEC were acting as mum spectators. Attackers even thrashed police in several places. The reports of violence and bloodshed prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs to seek a report from the West Bengal government.

Panchayat elections were held in nearly 58,000 seats in which the ruling party, Trinamool Congress already won 34 per cent seats uncontested. Around 60,000 security personnel were deployed throughout the state.