West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee called the Rampurhat incident in Birbhum “painful” but added that such incidents are more regular in UP, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan.
Mamata on Birbhum incidentÂ
Mamata, who will visit Rampurhat on Thursday, said she is not explaining the killings and her government will legally take action.
“Severe action will be taken against all those accountable for the Birbhum incident, irrespective of their cast and colors,” Mamata said.
In a brutal event, eight people were burned to death as their houses were set on fire in Bogtui village near Rampurhat town of Birbhum district early on Tuesday. The incident was perhaps a fallout of the murder of a deputy pradhan of Baguti village on Monday night.
“It is our government, we are worried about people in our state. We would never want anyone to suffer. The Birbhum, Rampurhat incident is sad. I have immediately dismissed the OC, SDPO. I will go to Rampurhat tomorrow,” Mamata said.
BJP’s allegation
Attacking BJP’s allegations, Mamata said, “This is Bengal, not Gujarat, UP, Bihar. I had sent a team of TMC to Hathras but we were not allowed an entry. But we are not preventing anyone from coming here.”
Mamata alleged that such incidents of violence are results of the plot hatched to distract attention from issues of concern, such as price hikes of petrol and other commodities.
During the Lok Sabha session, several BJP MPs showed placards and raised slogans against the West Bengal government. Sukanta Majumdar, the state unit chief of the BJP, spoke on the matter later.
Denying the allegations, Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said whatever happened in Birbhum had nothing to do with any political fight and reported that around 20 people have been arrested by the state police in connection with the incident.
Sudip further asked the BJP not to do politics over the incident and said his party has set an appointment with Union home minister Amit Shah regarding the matter.
