Situation in Bengal worse than it was under Left regime: BJP

Kolkata, May 31: The BJP on Saturday alleged that the law and order situation in West Bengal was worse than it was under the Left rule as its team reached the state to assess the situation following attack on party workers allegedly by ruling Trinamool Congress activists in North 24-Parganas.

[Read: Bengal violence: BJP wants central team to visit state]

[Read: BJP team to visit West Bengal today]

"The condition of West Bengal is worse than it was under the Left regime. The way the ruling party is using official machinery to terrorise and bully opposition party workers is condemnable," Rajya Sabha MP and party Vice-President Muqtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters after arriving here along with four other senior party leaders. "We have come here to assess the situation arising out of attacks on party workers and submit a report to the central party leaders," Naqvi said.

Twenty-one BJP supporters were attacked in Bengal on May 27 night

"The team will visit Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas and also the SSKM hospital in Kolkata, where 30 BJP workers with gun shot wounds from Sandeshkhali have been admitted," party's state unit chief Rahul Sinha said. Later they would submit a deputation to the Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra, he said. More than 30 BJP workers were attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers at Sandeshkhali in North 24-Pargana district on May 28.

Four persons have so far been arrested in this connection. BJP and CPI(M) had observed a 12-hour bandh in the area on Thursday. Besides Naqvi, other members of the team are party Vice-President S S Ahluwalia, MP, party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi,MP, party-in-charge of the state Siddharth Nath Singh and the Asansol MP Babul Supriyo.

PTI