New Delhi [India], June 18 : Coming down heavily on the ruling Trinamool Congress over the incidents of violence around the filing of nominations for the upcoming panchayat elections in West Bengal, Union Minister of State Minister Meenakshi Lekhi on Sunday said the government was wilfully violating court orders and a state of anarchy was prevailing in the state.
Amid clashes and allegations of intimidation to deter Opposition candidates from filing nominations, the TMC government earlier decided to move the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court order, directing the State Election Commission to request the deployment of central forces in all the districts for the July 8 polls.
Hitting out at the current dispensation over the prevailing state of affairs, Lekhi, on Sunday, urged the Supreme Court, high court and law enforcement agencies to act against those responsible.
"Not only are BJP leaders being attacked, but the voice of the people of West Bengal is also being muzzled. Court orders are being wilfully violated by the state government and authorities concerned. Complete anarchy is prevailing in the state at the moment," Lekhi toldon Sunday.
"For chanting 'Jai Shree Ram', you could be thrown in jail or murdered even (in West Bengal). Conducting free and fair elections is the key to upholding our democratic traditions but they (the TMC government) don't want it. They (the TMC) had stolen ballot boxes in the last panchayat polls (in 2018)," Lekhi added.
On a visit to violence-hit Canning in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Saturday, Governor CV Ananda Bose said he was "deeply distressed" with the clashes that took place on the last day of filing nominations for the panchayat elections.
"I saw what happened there. I was told that it was an all-out war. I am deeply distressed as this is not an acceptable situation. The common man has his rights. Many incidents are being reported here," the Governor said while addressing a press conference at Canning on Saturday.
He said being a "custodian of the Constitution", he couldn't let such incidents take place, adding, "I have a commitment to the people. A Governor is a custodian of the Constitution and I have to defend it."
"I met the victims and am determined to stand by the people," he added.
The Governor said further he has sought a report from the state government and the chief secretary on the recent clashes. "I have approached the government and the chief secretary. This is Tagore's Bengal where the mind is without fear and the head is held high," Bose said.
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