The Trinamool Congress on Saturday said its fact-finding teams, formed to gather information on the impact of post-poll violence in West Bengal, have already visited three districts in the state, where party workers were allegedly attacked by "BJP-backed goons."
The TMC formed three fact-finding teams to visit South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur and Hooghly districts to gather reports from party workers and supporters who allegedly faced atrocities during the violence that erupted after the results for the Assembly elections were announced on May 5.
The BJP swept the polls, winning 207 out of the 294 assembly seats in the state, while the TMC was reduced to just 80.
Speaking to reporters, the TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen said one of the teams, comprising herself, was heading to Moyna, Tamluk and Haldia in Purba Medinipur district to meet party workers and their families affected by violence.
"Our workers, common people and supporters are being subjected to atrocities in several places after the poll. Many people have been forced to flee their homes. Houses have been vandalised, and several party offices remain shut," Sen said.
A team led by Sushmita Dev, and also comprising Tanmoy Ghosh, Sajda Ahmed and Prosun Banerjee, visited affected areas in the South 24 Parganas district, while another team was tasked with visiting Hooghly.
"We are trying to reach out to those who have been attacked and displaced so that we can stand by them," Sen said.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal government to "strictly maintain law and order at the ground level" in the wake of TMC's allegations of widespread post-poll violence in the state.
The court also directed the police to ensure the safety of those who fled their homes, apprehending post-poll retribution violence, and arrange for their safe return to their properties, irrespective of party affiliations.
Sen said, "We hope the high court order will be implemented by the government."
The party, in a post on X, said its fact-finding teams were visiting the districts to meet violence-affected families and assess the on-ground situation.
"The police did not take any action despite our leaders complaining that there was widespread violence and a reign of terror across Kulpi," the TMC alleged in one of the posts.
The party said Sushmita Dev, Tanmoy Ghosh, Sajda Ahmed and Prosun Banerjee met affected families across the South 24 Parganas district.
In another post, the TMC alleged that "people continue to live in fear" in the Goghat Assembly Constituency's Nakunda gram panchayat area in Hooghly district.
"On May 9, village panchayat member Chaina Bag's husband, Sahadeb Bag, was murdered by BJP goons. His body was found beside the local party office. What action has the police taken? When will justice be served?" the party posed.
In another social media post, the TMC attached a video of a woman party worker narrating her ordeal to a fact-finding team.
"The pain in her voice is a chilling testimony to the inhumane torture unleashed by BJP-backed goons," the TMC said.
The party also claimed that its fact-finding team has uncovered "disturbing and deeply alarming truths in Hooghly".
"To every one of our workers and their families, we make this solemn promise: we will pursue every single avenue of justice and ensure that every perpetrator is held accountable. This politics of fear, violence and terror will not go unanswered," the TMC said on X.
The opposition party also said another team was visiting Moyna, Tamluk and Haldia to meet violence-hit families.
"Our workers in these areas have been subjected to relentless intimidation, violence and targeted atrocities, while the state police remained silent spectators. Amit Shah's Central Forces were conspicuously absent when people needed protection the most," the TMC alleged.
(With inputs from PTI)
