Kolkata, March 19 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought a fresh report from Kolkata Police on the violence that erupted on the streets of Girish Park in North Kolkata in front of the residence of a member of the West Bengal cabinet following clashes between ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in the afternoon of March 14.
The violence coincided with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the city to address a mega rally of his party at Brigade Parade Ground in Central Kolkata on that day.
An insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that in its earlier report to the Commission, the Kolkata Police had dodged the answer to the main question from the ECI that why the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), which were on advance deployment in the city then were not summoned in controlling the situation at Girish Park that day in front of the residence of the West Bengal women and child development and social welfare minister, Dr Sashi Panja.
“The Commission has taken strong exception to the absence of the crucial report from the Kolkata Police on this most vital point and hence asked the city police to send a fresh report to the ECI at the earliest, answering this particular query,” the CEO’s office insider said.
A total of nine arrests have been made so far in connection with the clashes at Girish Park on March 14.
The BJP has, however, complained that the city police were selectively targeting their party workers, when the reality was that the clashes broke out after the ruling party activists attacked a bus carrying BJP supporters going to Brigade Parade Ground to attend the Prime Minister’s rally.
On the other hand, the Trinamool Congress supporters have alleged that stones were allegedly hurled at the residence of Panja in North Kolkata’s Girish Park area.
The Trinamool workers claimed that BJP activists committed these acts while en route to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at the Brigade Parade Ground.
The state minister alleged that she, too, was attacked during the incident. The BJP has issued a counter-allegation, claiming that Trinamool workers threw bricks at their activists as they were marching through Girish Park.
–IANS
src/dpb