NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday came out all guns blazing against the Trinamool Congress, alleging its role in incidents of suicide by BLOs and violence during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal, as it held press conferences across various states.
At these press conferences, the BJP leaders also attacked the AAP government in Punjab over the state police raid at a Punjab Kesari newspaper group's office.
The Congress too was targeted for its Madhya Pradesh MLA's controversial remarks linking beauty to rape, with the BJP saying Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should demand the MLA's expulsion from her party.
The press conferences came on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi made infiltration and demographic change the central theme of his attack on the TMC government during a public rally in West Bengal's Malda, claiming there was an "alliance between infiltrators and the ruling party" in the state.
"Ashok Das, a Block Level Officer (BLO) in Jadhavpur assembly constituency, was honestly fulfilling his responsibilities. But he committed suicide due to the TMC workers' constant threats. They had told him that he, along with his wife and daughter, would be killed if any infiltrator's name is removed from the voter list," BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said to reporters at the party headquarters in Delhi.
He termed the BLO's suicide a "political murder" by the ruling TMC and called upon people to take a vow to avenge Das's death in a democratic manner.
"Poll officials in Bengal are not safe today. So much pressure is being put on them that they are being driven to commit suicide.
"Attacks are being organised at the BDOs and their offices as if they are in the enemy territory," Patra said.
He alleged that about 300 people attacked a BDO's office and indulged in arson in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal, destroying property worth Rs 20 lakh.
"When the attack was carried out at another BDO's office in Farakka in Murshidabad, TMC MLA Monirul Islam was present there, but his name was not mentioned in the FIR registered in connection with the incident, he alleged at the press conference.
Terming the situation in West Bengal as reminiscent of 'Banga Bhanga', the 1905 partition of Bengal by the British, the Patra alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to separate the state from India by inciting violence to stop SIR and protect Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators.
He also called upon people to "wake up" and unite against it.
"To keep India united, we must be united. 'Ek hain to safe hain' (If we are together, we are safe)," he said.
Patra also termed as "anti-democratic" the Punjab police raid at the Punjab Kesari newspaper group's office and called upon mediapersons to protest against the incident.
"Arvind Kejriwal cannot ever change. After moving out of Delhi's Sheesh Mahal, he is now staying in Hawa Mahal in Punjab. Action was taken against the newspaper at the behest of Kejriwal," Patra added.
Targeting the Congress over its Madhya Pradesh legislator Phool Singh Baraiya's controversial remarks linking beauty to rape, Patra demanded that the party take action against him.
During an interview to a media outlet, Baraiya also claimed sexual crimes against women from "certain castes" got encouragement from some scriptures that describe it as "teerth phal" or "fruit of pilgrimage".
Condemning his remarks, Patra said, "I hope that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will make a statement on this issue and visit her mother (Sonia Gandhi), demanding the MLA's expulsion from the party."