Nadda visits Bengal, compares violence to Partition

Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda drew a parallel between the post-poll result violence in West Bengal with the bloodshed during India's Partition, while his colleagues compared the Trinamool Congress with Nazis, as the saffron party's leaders protested in different cities on Tuesday against attacks targeting its workers in the state.

Nadda arrived in West Bengal to express solidarity with BJP workers amid several incidents of violence and arson in which, the party alleges, six of its members have been killed.

The BJP has blamed the TMC for the violence, saying its workers and sympathisers are targeting rivals after its supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led it to a massive victory in the state assembly polls.

Nadda, who is on a two-day visit to the state, said his party's workers are facing violent attacks.

"We are committed to democratically fight this ideological battle and the activities of the TMC, which is full of intolerance," he told reporters at the NSC Bose International Airport in Kolkata.

Nadda added, "I had heard of the immense atrocities committed during the Partition, but I have never seen such post-poll violence that is occurring in West Bengal after the declaration of election results (on May 2)."

He later met families of several BJP workers who were targeted in the violence.

The BJP chief will also visit the homes of party workers who were allegedly killed in attacks in the South 24 Parganas district.

"We want to give this message that crores of BJP workers across the country are with them," he said, asking party workers in the state to democratically fight the 'savagery'.

The BJP has claimed that at least six of its workers and supporters, including a woman, were killed in violence allegedly unleashed by the TMC.

The TMC has claimed that its three supporters have been killed in violent incidents.

Members of other parties, including the Left and the Congress, have also attacked the TMC for the violence in the state, which they said has been aimed at their members and sympathisers as well.

The TMC has denied the charges.

Banerjee had earlier asked people to show restraint and not be involved in any form of violence.

In the national capital, the BJP at a virtual conference said West Bengal is 'burning because of state-sponsored violence'.

Its spokesperson Sambit Patra said the TMC should have been gracious after winning the polls and termed the violence as painful and saddening.

Speaking at the conference, BJP leader and candidate in the West Bengal assembly polls, Anirban Ganguly, said people who voted for the TMC in Bengal should ask if what is happening in the state is right.

"Whatever the TMC is doing is very close to Nazi Germany's fascism. This is a fascist government. Such incidents do not take place in a democratic government," Ganguly said and asked where are the political leaders of other opposition parties and why are they silent about this.

The Delhi BJP staged a protest here with several of MPs, including Meenakshi Lekhi and Ramesh Bidhuri, and MLAs courting arrest, the party said in a statement.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh and Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal were among those who protested in Patna.

The BJP has announced a nationwide protests on Wednesday against the violence in West Bengal.

Party is with workers facing atrocities by 'TMC goons': BJP Bengal chief

The BJP's West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday said that the party is with the workers who, he claimed, are facing atrocities at the hands of goons owing allegiance to the Trinamool Congress after the announcement of assembly election results two days ago.

The state is in the grip of post-poll violence that allegedly left several BJP workers dead and injured, prompting the Centre to seek a report from the state government on the incidents of attack on opposition workers.

"I have not done the politics of running away in adverse situations. We have fought a daunting battle," Ghosh told reporters in Kolkata.

Ghosh said that the BJP has won record seats in the West Bengal election, bagging 77 constituencies.

The TMC, on the other hand, emerged victorious in 213 seats and will form the government for the third time in a row.

Claiming that attacks are taking place at places where the TMC won with a huge majority, Ghosh said that the BJP leadership is with the workers who have fought the election risking their lives.

"We are fighting and will continue to do so in future. Today or tomorrow, Bengal will witness change at the hands of the BJP," the party's state president said.

BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said that it is time for the party to stand by the workers who are facing attacks.

"We can analyse the results later. Our foremost duty is to stand by the workers," said Sinha.

The BJP has claimed that six of its activists were killed at various places, a party office in Hooghly district was set on fire and shops of its supporters were torched in many areas.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him up and expressed anguish over the law and order situation in the state following reports of post- poll violence from several districts.