Panchayat
Given freehand to state police to probe violence in Panchayat polls: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata: As West Bengal witnessed a blood bath in the recently concluded Panchayat elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she has given full powers to the state police to find the culprits behind the violence, media reports.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee said her party, the Trinamool Congress, suffered the maximum fatalities out of the 19 deaths in the violence-hit rural polls in the state.
"I am giving police a free hand to take action against those behind rural poll violence," she was quoted as saying by India Today.
"The 19 people who have died will be provided Rs 2 lakhs compensation and a special home guard job. These comprise 10 from TMC. We will not differentiate based on the party they belong to, all those who have died will be given compensation and job from the government," she added, the report said.
"Why do you all have such hatred against me? Is it because I come from a backward family? Is it because I speak for unity?" she added, India Today reported.
She then attacked the BJP, which is sending a factfinding team to investigate the incidents of violence.
"Where was the fact-finding team when Manipur was burning? Where was this team when Assam was burning due to NRC? How many commissions visited these places? Within 2 years, close to 154 teams have visited West Bengal. These are BJP provocation committees, not fact-finding committees. It is unfortunate that so many died (during panchayat polls). They are victims of circumstances. I have told the police to take action," she said, according to the report.
The Bengal Chief Minister criticized both the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), holding them equally responsible for the instances of violence.
"I don't support any violence. I do not indulge in politics of hate and violence. I am sorry to say that Ram, Shyam and Bam together hatched this conspiracy to mar the elections using violence," she said.
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