Trinamool-BJP activists clash following Amit Shah’s rally in Bengal

Contai (West Bengal), Jan 29 (IANS) A Trinamool Congress party office was vandalised and several buses of BJP workers were set ablaze in a clash between activists of the two parties following the saffron party President Amit Shah's rally in West Bengal's Contai on Tuesday.

While BJP accused the hooligans backed by Trinamool Congress of attacking their party workers on their way back from Shah's rally, the state ruling party leaders blamed BJP supporters for the vandalism.

"When Amit Shah's rally was going on, they (Trinamool supporters) attacked our supporters. They did not even spare women activists. Two of our women activists were pushed into ponds,"

"They also threw stones at the buses ferrying BJP supporters and torched a number of vehicles. The saddest thing is the entire incident took place in front of police, but they did not take any action," BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha said.

West Bengal Minister and Trinamool leader Subhendu Adhikari, however, refuted the charge and accused the BJP supporters of conducting "pre-planned terror".

He claimed that the offenders would have to pay a "heavy price" for their actions.

"If they came to attend the rally, why were they carrying sticks, rods and bombs? They planned to conduct vandalism. These people were once with the Left Front, now they have joined BJP. They will have to pay a price for this," Adhikari said.

"BJP workers attacked our party offices and this led to retaliation by our workers. If our party office is attacked, are we going to offer sweets?" he said.

Earlier in the day, Shah addressed a public rally in the area where he launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee government on several issues, including chit fund scams, and illegal infiltration and urged people to uproot the Trinamool Congress regime.