Bengal BJP leaders allege female worker was assaulted in ‘post poll violence’

The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged on Friday that a female leader of the party’s Minority Morcha was beaten up by Trinamool Congress supporters in the Cooch Behar district.

Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, said a party colleague belonging to a minority community was attacked and wrote to the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Women, and the National Commission for Minorities urging each to send a team to West Bengal.

In his communication to the quasi-judicial bodies, Mr. Adhikari described the incident as an “example of post poll violence” and alleged that “she was dragged by her hair and subjected to severe physical assault, and her dress was torn in broad daylight by TMC goons on June 25, 2024.”

“She is at present admitted to hospital. The police are not taking any action against the accused,” he alleged.

BJP inquiry team

West Bengal BJP president Sukanata Majumdar also took note of the incident and has constituted a seven-member team led by MLA Agnimitra Paul, who will inquire into the incident. The team will visit Cooch Behar today and submit a report to the State BJP president.

The Trinamool Congress leadership in Cooch Behar district described the allegations as politically motivated and said that the attack on the woman was the result of a property dispute.

BJP candidate Nisith Paramanik lost the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat in north Bengal to the TMC‘s Jagadish Chandra Basunia in the Lok Sabha polls by a margin of over 39,000 votes. Several allegations of post poll violence were made by BJP supporters, including some from the Muslim community. The Lok Sabha seat borders Assam and, before the general elections, was considered a stronghold of the BJP.

CAPF deployment

In another development, a central team of the BJP that visited the State and inquired into allegations of post poll violence submitted a report to party president J.P. Nadda on Friday.

The BJP MP team led by Biplab Deb recommended extending the deployment of central armed police force (CAPF) units, localising the deployment of the CAPF, and securing BJP offices.

The team said that the various commissions should take cognisance of these incidents, visit the areas, and award compensation to those affected. The team has recommended punitive action against bureaucrats who act as facilitators and financial assistance to families that are severely affected.