Bengal Governor Visits Violence-Hit Areas After Meeting With Oppn Leaders Ahead Of Panchayat Polls

Ahead of the WB Panchayat Polls, Governor CV Ananda Bose visited violence-hit areas and met with the opposition leaders who voiced their concerns regarding not being able to go out for campaigning.

Following the death of a man in a firing incident in Dinhata on Tuesday, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday visited the violence-hit areas of Dinhata's Cooch Behar district and met the family members of the deceased. Bose also visited a hospital in Cooch Behar where the people who got injured during the clashes are being treated. The Governor is on a trip to the northern districts of West Bengal, reported news agency PTI.

Bose described himself as a 'Ground Zero Governor' and said that he would continue visiting violence-hit areas to have first-hand knowledge of what's happening

Prior to Bose's visit, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik met him at the circuit house in the district. Bose also talked to leaders and candidates of Congress, CPI(M), and BJP, who voiced their concern over alleged violence in Cooch Behar ahead of the Panchayat Elections which are slated to take place on July 8.

MoS Pramanik and the leaders of the opposition urged the Governor to ensure that law and order is maintained in the state so that people can exercise their right to vote in the upcoming polls.

While talking to the media, the MoS said, "We are hopeful that the governor will take necessary steps so that people can cast their votes peacefully," as reported by PTI.

The leaders also alleged that they themselves were unable to go out for campaigning because of the alleged 'atrocities' of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

A CPI(M) candidate after interacting with Bose said, “We are unable to come out of our houses and normal life has been affected. We have urged the governor to look into the matter.”

In another incident, fresh tension erupted in the Okrabari area in Cooch Behar on Friday night. As per the family members of a Congress candidate, a fire broke out at their house after "some miscreants, backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress, hurled bombs" there. A fire tender doused the fire and a probe got initiated into the matter, reported PTI.

Widespread violence over the filing of nominations for the rural polls has claimed the lives of at least eight people and left several injured in various parts of the state last month.