Centre asks West Bengal government to send report on post-poll violence 'at once'

Around 14 deaths of political workers have been reported from West Bengal since May 2 when the assembly results were announced.

Security personnel keep vigil at a polling station in Sitalkuchi assembly seat in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district. (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Alleging that there is “no let-up in post poll violence,” the Union Home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Wednesday once again wrote to the chief secretary of West Bengal alleging that “no effective measures have been taken by state government so far to contain violence.”

Without mincing any words, the union home secretary in his letter said that if a report on the poll-related violence and the necessary measures to contain it, were not submitted to the centre “at once” the centre would view the matter “very seriously”.

In the communication to Alapan Bandopadhyay, West Bengal Chief Secretary, Bhalla said that the centre had still not received any response to its May 3 letter in which it had asked for a report on the “post-election violence targeting opposition political workers in the state.”

“Unfortunately, no response has been received from the government of West Bengal in this regard till date. According to media reports, there is no let-up in post poll violence. It is evident that no effective measures have been taken by the state government so far to contain violence,” sources in the ministry quoted the letter.

Bhalla requested Bandhopadhyay to “ensure that all necessary measures are taken to prevent such incidents without loss of time and a detailed report is furnished at once” and warned that in case of “non-receipt of response of state government, the matter will be viewed very seriously.”

Around 14 deaths of political workers have been reported from West Bengal since May 2 when the assembly results were announced, in which the incumbent Trinamool Congress received a thumping majority.

BJP leaders have alleged large scale violence against their workers and vandalization of their party offices. TMC leaders have also levelled allegations of violence against its party workers at the behest of BJP.

Taking note of the violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself called up the West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to enquire about the violence apart from the Union Home Ministry seeking a report from its state counterpart.

BJP president J P Nadda arrived in West Bengal on Tuesday and met families of some of the victims.