Former lawmaker and veteran CPI (M) leader Basudeb Acharia was assaulted allegedly by the workers of Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Purulla district of West Bengal yesterday on Friday by around six people when the leader arrived in Bankura district at the District Magistrate’s office so as to file a complaint about the violent aggression over filing nominations for the panchayat polls that are to be held next month.
Mr Acharia was accompanied by the party workers to file their nominations in Kashipur when they were reportedly attacked by the TMC workers. Acharia was reportedly cast to the ground and was beaten with sticks. He has been admitted to the hospital and is under observation in the intensive care unit. Other party workers and leaders were injured in the turmoil. All of them are said to be recuperating in the hospital.
Marking his rage at the attack, the CPI (M) party posted a tweet saying, “Widespread attacks by TMC goons on our comrades in Bengal. Today Comrade Basudeb Acharia, 9 times former MP was attacked today and had to be hospitalized. Protest and Resist! Save Democracy!”
The state of West Bengal has seen intermittent violence over filing nominations for 60,000 seats of panchayat for which the voting will be conducted on 1, 3 and 5 May.
The opposition parties that also include the CPI (M), Congress and BJP, have claimed that the TMC is not allowing their candidates to file the nominations.
The attackers were wearing helmets and had their faces covered with scarves and they broke the rear windshield of the vehicle that the BJP leader was travelling in. He was then taken out of the car and beaten up. The BJP asserts that the attack was done by the Trinamool Congress supporters; however, the charges have been refuted by the ruling party of West Bengal.
Meanwhile, in Kolkatta, the BJP leaders sat on a dharna on Mayo Road, at the statue of Gandhi. The CPI(M) is conducting a sit-in protest at the office of the state election commission.
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