Firecracker factory blast: Bengal Minister, Trinamool MP face public ire

Kolkata, May 17 A West Bengal minister and a Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member confronted a massive protest by the locals on Wednesday as the two reached the firecracker factory at Egra in East Midnapore district where an explosion claimed nine lives.

The explosion took place on Tuesday.

As the West Bengal minister in-charge of the environment department, Dr Manas Bhunia and the Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen reached the spot within minutes they were surrounded by a group of people who raised slogans accusing the state's ruling party as being responsible for the tragedy. Some of the protesters even shouted slogans describing Trinamool Congress leaders as "thieves".

However, both Sen and Bhunia remained calm and instead of getting into an altercation. They tried to pacify the local people by saying the state administration will take all responsibility for compensating the families of the deceased as well as for those who have been injured.

However, their persuasion efforts did not work out much and the tempo of slogans aggravated. Some of the protesters even questioned the minister and the MP on why the police administration had been reluctant in taking action against the illegal firecracker factory.

"Why are you here now? What is the point in coming here now?" a protester was heard asking the minister. Finally in face of massive protests, Bhunia and Sen left the spot. However, before leaving the village they met the family members of a victim.

"We came to the spot following an instruction from the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee. But some rowdy elements tried to create chaos over our visit and tried to provoke us. However, we did not get trapped in that. So we are going back after meeting the family members of a victim," Bhunia said.

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