West Bengal and political violence are inextricably linked, as violence has been present throughout all phases of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in the state. The political landscape of the state has been tainted by the blood of party employees killed in the bloody battle. The state’s political environment has been called into question owing to frequent clashes.
A woman BJP worker from the Scheduled Caste community was killed in Nandigram, West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, just two days before the sixth phase of parliamentary elections, prompting large-scale protests by saffron party activists on Thursday. Seven other BJP workers were seriously injured in the attack.
In today’s DNA, Zee News’ Saurabh Raaj Jain analysed the increasing incidents of political violence in West Bengal and a special ground report on atmosphere in Nandigarh after murder of a BJP worker.
DNA : बंगाल में ‘रक्तरंजित’ सियासी ‘शोले’. जहां TMC की नहीं चलती..वहां हिंसा? #DNA #DNAWithSourabh #Nandigram #WestBengal #TMC #BJP #Elections2024 @saurabhraajjain pic.twitter.com/fTKNScm0L9
— Zee News (@ZeeNews) May 23, 2024
Nandigram was previously a TMC stronghold. The region is part of the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency and is considered the backyard of Bengal’s opposition leader, Suvendu Adhikari. Adhikari continued to win as a TMC leader from here, eventually defeating Mamata Banerjee in 2021 after joining the BJP.
As part of the protest, BJP workers burned tyres, blocked roads, and shut down shops in Nandigram, claiming that TMC-backed criminals were responsible for the death of Rathibala Arhi, a saffron party worker in Sonachura village. According to police, Rathibala’s son Sanjay and seven others were injured after being attacked by unidentified assailants on Wednesday night.
DNA : राजनीति का ‘बदलापुर’..पश्चिम बंगाल !
बीजेपी के गढ़ में खून खराबा, आगजनी! किसके गुस्से का शिकार बना नंदीग्राम? #DNA #DNAWithSourabh #Nandigram #WestBengal #TMC #BJP #Elections2024 @saurabhraajjain pic.twitter.com/5Vj8cKxcze
— Zee News (@ZeeNews) May 23, 2024
Police, central forces, and RAF personnel stationed in the area had to use lathicharge to disperse the mob. Police detained a person in connection with the alleged murder. The BJP had called a bandh in Nandigram as part of the protest, but later cancelled it, according to a local leader.