'Good Will Happen In Days To Come': Bengal Guv After Meeting Amit Shah Post Panchayat Poll Violence

The West Bengal panchayat polls were marred by violence, both in the run-up to the elections and on election day.

Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Monday met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Amidst reports of violence during polling in West Bengal, Governor C V Ananda Bose on Monday met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where the governor presented a report concerning the violence that took place during the panchayat elections in the state, reported news agency PTI.

Soon after the meeting concluded, Bose said, "The darkest hour is just before dawn. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. The only message I could get today is -if winter comes can spring be far behind? Good will happen in the days to come."

#WATCH | "The darkest hour is just before dawn. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. The only message I could get today is -if winter comes can spring be far behind? Good will happen in the days to come," says West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose after his meeting with… pic.twitter.com/m4GEaEQnKS

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2023

According to an official, Bose had prepared a report on his views after visiting violence-hit areas in the backdrop of the rural polls.

The West Bengal panchayat polls were marred by violence, both in the run-up to the elections and on election day. As clashes and incidents of booth capturing were reported in various districts, at least 18 people were reported dead in poll-related violence.

Ten members of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) were killed, three each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, and two each from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), as per ANI.

Several instances of ballot box vandalism and destruction were also reported throughout the day. Ballot boxes and ballot papers were set on fire at a booth in Baravita Govt Primary School in the Dinhata area of Cooch Behar district, ANI reported. 

“…One thing I have noticed is that it is the poor people who get killed, the killers are also poor...we should kill poverty but instead we're killing the poor...this is not what Bengal deserves,” ANI quoted Bose as saying.

Notably, on the polling day, the state governor had visited various places, mostly in North 24 Parganas district, and taken stock of the situation.

Bose had visited Bhangar and Canning in South 24 Parganas district before meeting family members of a victim in Dinhata in Cooch Behar. He had also met the relatives of another deceased person in Basanti.

He has also opened a 'peace home' at the Raj Bhavan to address the grievances of common people.

Bose has accused State Election Commissioner (SEC) Rajiva Sinha of failing to discharge his duties during the panchayat elections.