“State-sponsored murder of democracy”: BJP slams TMC

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday slammed the ruling Trinamool Congress over violence during the West Bengal panchayat polls calling it the “state sponsored” violence and claimed that at least 45 people have died in the clashes. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, while addressing a press conference said that these ‘killings’ are “institutional murder”. “In West Bengal, elections and violence have become synonymous…Around 45 people have been killed as far as Panchayat polls in West Bengal are concerned. Words like firing, bombing, murder and vote rigging are being used for the Panchayat elections…This is not accidental, this is a state-sponsored murder of democracy. It is an institutional murder, that is, from the police administration to the district officers and the administrative officers, everything is involved,” Patra said. He further said that the party vehemently condemns the poll violence and “murder of democracy” in West Bengal. “Nirmam Bandyopadhyay (ruthless Mamata Banerjee), who used to talk ‘maa, maati, manush’, is being a mute spectator,” he added. Patra further lashed out at other parties accusing them to be ‘silent’ over the issue.