Trinamool, BJP leaders caught on camera threatening violence

Kolkata, Nov 16 (IANS) A district-level Trinamool Congress leader and the BJP's West Bengal unit president have been caught on camera threatening to set houses on fire and break limbs of opposition leaders as also beat up the police.

Addressing a public meeting in Malda district on Thursday, state Bharatiya Janata party chief Dilip Ghosh warned that BJP workers would beat up Trinamool Congress workers and police if they came under attack and were not allowed to participate in political programmes.

"They are trying to stop us, they are beating us up, we are not being allowed to participate in political programmes.

"In the areas where they have muscle power, they (Trinamool) are using miscreants and cadres to stop us. In areas where they lack strength, and may get beaten up by us, they are deploying the police," said Ghosh.

"If need be, we will thrash Didi's (elder sister - as Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee is called) brothers, and also her police. If you mess with us, you will face the music."

"The only job of the police in the state is to photograph us, and extort money from the vehicles. They then deposit the money in Trinamool coffers.

"They (the police) have been given batons and camouflage dresses. As if by wearing the dress they will become commandos. The day they get beaten up, not a blow will be wasted," he added.

A day back, Birbhum district Trinamool chief Anubrata Mondal went ballistic after some villagers, protesting against a proposed government project near Shantiniketan in Bolpur, razed down a wall and beat up construction workers. They also clashed with some Trinamool Congress workers.

As Congress heavyweight and leader of the opposition in state assembly, Abdul Mannan, and CPI-M leader Bikash Bhattacharya went to meet the affected villagers, the Trinamool workers vandalised the stage and tore up the posters.

Despite that, the two leaders tried to go ahead with their programme, but were stopped by the police, who claimed their presence could trigger a law and order problem. The two argued and jostled with the police for over an hour, but finally returned to Kolkata.

Minutes after they left, Mondal arrived at the spot and, standing beside senior district police officers, threatened to break the limbs of the two opposition leaders if they dared to come back to the area. The incident was caught on camera.

He also gave the police a few hours to arrest the villagers and put them behind bars.

"Now it is 4.15 p.m. By 7 p.m. all of them should be arrested, and put behind bars by 9 p.m. Otherwise we will bulldoze in. Not even one house will stand intact. We will destroy everything.

"I won't hear your stories. After 9 p.m. I won't leave these houses intact, and set fire to them. Development work has been taken up here. Many people will get jobs and if they create trouble I don't care whether it is Abdul Mannan or Bikash Bhattacharya. I will thrash them and break their limbs."

Meanwhile, the Trinamool leadership dissociated itself from Mondal's remarks, but said it has to be seen in what context he uttered these words.

"We have to see the backdrop. We only see what Anubrata is saying. We don't see why he is saying this. But whatever he has said is not acceptable. We won't support such comments. I will talk to Anubrata," said Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee.