Central forces should be deployed immediately in Bengal: Kailash Vijayvargiya

Kolkata, Dec 13: Claiming that Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is "banking on violence" to "return to power", BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Sunday said central forces should be deployed immediately in West Bengal to "put an end' to the "prevailing atmosphere of political violence and terror" in the state.

With Assembly polls due in the state in April-May next year, the BJP Bengal minder appealed to the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections, saying there should not be any place for fear and violence.

"Mamata Banerjee knows that the land under her feet has slipped and so she is trying to return to power in the state on the strength of violence. I urge the Election Commission to deploy central forces from now itself in order to put an end to the prevailing atmosphere of political violence and terror in the state," Vijayvargiya told newspersons here at Santiniketan in Birbhum district.

The ruling TMC and the BJP have been engaged in a war of words over the attack on BJP national president J P Nadda's convoy by alleged TMC supporters when he was travelling to Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district from Kolkata on Thursday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday sought central deputation for three IPS officers over the mob attack on Nadda's convoy The three officers - Bholanath Pandey (SP, Diamond Harbour), Praveen Tripathi (DIG, Presidency Range) and Rajeev Mishra (ADG, South Bengal) - were responsible for the security of the BJP chief during his December 9-10 visit to the state.

The MHA's move came a day after the Mamata Banerjee government defiantly rejected summonses to state chief secretary and police chief to appear before Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to tender explanation for the attack on Nadda's motorcade that left several BJP leaders and workers injured and their vehicles damaged. The TMC has alleged that the orders are politically motivated.

On Sunday, the BJP national general secretary met Visva Bharati Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty to discuss details about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's virtual programme to mark the foundation day of the central university on December 24. The foundation of Visva Bharati was laid during a special ceremony at Santiniketan on December 22, 1918.

Vijayvargiya was accompanied by BJP leader Anupam Hazra during the discussion with the VC. Later Vijayvargiya told reporters, "The PM, who is the Chancellor of Visva Bharati founded by Gurudev Rabindanath Tagore, is slated to address the programme virtually. We discussed the modalities. It was an informal meeting."

Visva Bharati authorities on Saturday decided to organise the programme on December 24 where West Bengal governor, Union education minister and state chief minister will be invited and the PM will virtually inaugurate it, varsity sources said.

Vijayvargiya came to Bolpur to oversee arrangements before Union Home Minister Amit Shah's proposed visit to the town next week ahead of the programme organised by the university, BJP sources said.