Death toll in West Bengal Panchayat polls violence rises to 18
The single-phase panchayat elections concluded in WB, with as many as 18 persons losing their lives in poll-related violence across the state.
West Bengal: The single-phase panchayat elections concluded in West Bengal on Saturday with a voter turnout of 66.28, with as many as 18 persons losing their lives in poll-related violence across the state.
Speaking on the poll violence in the state, security personnel alleged that despite several reminders, West Bengal State Election Commission failed to provide locations and other details of sensitive polling booths before the polls.
According to reports, of the total 18 deaths across the state, 12 victims belonged to the ruling TMC party, while two workers each from the BJP and CPI(M) died during the pivotal three-tier panchayat polls. A Congress worker and a voter were also killed in the poll violence.
With this, a total of 34 persons have lost their lives in poll-related violence since the announcement of polling date on June 8.
Although officially the polling concluded at 5 p.m., in certain areas voting continued after the scheduled deadline as people were waiting in queues to cast their votes.
In an apparent attempt to shed his responsibility for the bloodbath, State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha said: “No one can predict who will shoot whom and when. Preventing violence is the responsibility of those who are posted at the district level. The task of the commission is to make arrangements for the polls,” Sinha said.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the state government over the bloodbath on polling day.
BJP President J.P. Nadda also spoke to the party’s state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar over phone and gathered updates about the day’s proceedings.
Trinamool Congress leaders, including state ministers Sashi Panja, Bratya Basu and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, however, claimed that barring some stray incidents, the polling process was overall peaceful.
They also claimed that the maximum number of casualties was reported from the Trinamool camp, which proves that it was the opposition parties that indulged in violence to portray the state bad light.
While Panja accused the central forces personnel on poll duty of making attempts to influence the voters to vote for a particular party, Ghosh accused the media of creating an anti-Trinamool narrative.
The leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, squarely blamed State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha for the bloodbath on polling day, calling him a ‘partner-in-crime’.
Ms Kalinga