Bengal panchayat polls: Governor visits violence-hit Bhangar, interacts with common people

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Friday visited Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, the epicentre of the recent violence clashes over nomination for the July 8 panchayat elections.

Three people were shot dead and several others injured in two districts of West Bengal on Thursday, two people were killed at Bhangore in South 24 Parganas district, while another youth was gunned down by miscreants at Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district.

"I interacted with the victims of violence and locals. I can assure the people of Bengal that violence will be the first victim in this election. The perpetrators of violence will be silenced in a permanent way under the Constitution and the law of the land. Peace-loving people of Bengal should be able to exercise their franchise," he said.

Just an hour before Bose reached the violence-hit area, the police recovered seven bags full of crude bombs. However, none of the top police officials from the district or the state were there when Bose reached the spot.

In fact, the Governor was briefed by a junior officer in the rank of a sub-inspector of police.

Bose first reached the Block Development Office of Bhangar Block-II. He was seen interacting with the local people, who described the situations that prevailed in the region for the last couple of days.

Earlier the Governor had issued a strongly worded statement condemning the massive violence during the nomination phase taking a total of five since the first day of nomination on June 9.

Of the five deaths, three were reported from Bhangar and two from Murshidabad district.

"This game of 'Shaitan' should end, will end. The beginning of the end will be in West Bengal," the Governor had said.

In response, Trinamool Congress state spokesman Kunal Ghosh said such comments from the Governor based on certain stray incidents are totally unwarranted.

"On what basis does the Governor say such things? He never speaks of the situations in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh. Even though he is the Governor of West Bengal, he could have issued a Twitter message over the situation there as an Indian citizen," Ghosh said.

Violent clashes have been historically rampant in the West Bengal panchayat polls; the State Election Commission (SEC) had earlier "considered" extended the much-contested dates for filing nominations, and the Calcutta High Court had ordered the deployment of central forces to oversee the poll process.