Election Commission to Hold Meeting on Poll Violence in West Bengal Via Video Conferencing

The Trinamool Congress had also sought a meeting with the EC over the destruction of a statue of Bengali writer and philosopher Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar during clashes between ABVP and Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad supporters on College Street.

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) would be holding a meeting with West Bengal observers on poll violence in the state at 11.30 AM on Wednesday through video conferencing. The violent clash took place on the streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by BJP president Amit Shah who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by the police.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had sought a meeting with the EC over the destruction of a statue of Bengali writer and philosopher Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar during clashes between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members and Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) supporters on College Street.

Reacting to the violence that took place on Tuesday, CPI (Marxist) party members are conducting a protest. The party’s General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “an investigation should be done to find out how could this happen in Kolkata.”

Kolkata: CPI (Marxist) holds protest against statue pf Vidyasagar vandalised in violence during BJP President Amit Shah’s roadshow yesterday. CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury says,”an investigation should be done to find out how could this happen in Kolkata”. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/5ltADDAtvv

— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2019

As a mark of protest, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the TMC party leaders on Wednesday changed the profile pictures of their official Twitter handle to Vidyasagar’s image. Meanwhile, the BJP party members also protested against the violence in the national party President Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata yesterday. Some of the prominent members who took part in the protest include Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan, Jitendra Singh and Vijay Goel.

Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds protest against violence in BJP President Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata, West Bengal yesterday. Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan, Jitendra Singh and Vijay Goel also present pic.twitter.com/pIK872wgYF

— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2019

Dismissing the allegations that the BJP workers were responsible for the violence, Amit Shah on Wednesday said, “Mamata Banerjee claims that BJP is doing it, I want to tell her, we are fighting in every state in the nation, unlike you on 42 seats in West Bengal. Violence didn’t take place in 6 phases of elections anywhere but Bengal which proves that TMC is responsible for it.”

#WATCH: Visuals after clashes broke out at BJP President Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/laSeN2mGzn

— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2019

“Trinamool parliamentary team comprising Derek O’Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Manish Gupta, Nadimul Haque seeks meeting with EC in aftermath of attack on Bengal’s heritage after Shah roadshow in Kolkata. BJP outsider ruffians resort to arson & break Vidyasagar’s bust,” the TMC said in a tweet.

‘Never Seen Such Political Violence in #Kolkata‘: @MamataOfficial Condemns Attacks on Vidyasagar College

জন্ম থেকে কলকাতায় আছি, কোনও রাজনৈতিক দলের এরকম দাঙ্গা দেখিনি: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

Read More >> https://t.co/TE3pLnQ1bA pic.twitter.com/8BpQPB2uIa

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 15, 2019

Earlier, Brien, also TMC spokesperson, took to Twitter and alleged that a “violent mob of outsiders” was behind the attack.

(With agency inputs)