Election Commissioner should provide revised date for scrutiny of nomination papers: Nisith Pramanik

Coochbehar (West Bengal) [India], June 17 : Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik was allegedly attacked by TMC workers at the BDO office during scrutiny of nomination papers at Dinhata, Coochbehar on Saturday.

Union Minister of State Pramanik said, "Our workers have been hit with arrows. In front of the police station, TMC workers are hurling bombs at us and the police are watching silently. The law and order situation in West Bengal has completely deteriorated. A female has been stripped here and it is very shameful for the home minister of this state who is a female. There is a body lying and we are not being allowed to visit the place to see if the person is alive or dead. This atrocity cannot continue. A TMC MLA is sitting in the BDO office and in front of her our people are being assaulted."

Union Minister Nisith Pramanik said, "I am a minister and I have been assigned the responsibility to ensure security and I am authorised to come here to inspect the security situation but it is strange how the MLA in the BDO office is influencing the scrutiny. I demand the Election Commissioner to provide a revised scrutiny date and scrutiny should be done in presence of central forces. As far as I know our 40 people have been injured including women."

He further added, "Abhishek Banerjee is saying big words and giving orders to TMC to maintain peace, he should come here and see the reality. This hypocrisy won't be tolerated. On one hand, he says no violence would be accepted and on the other side he is orchestrating violence through police and TMC workers."

Nisith Pramanik also alleged that the TMC is afraid that if people will use their democratic rights then they will lose the elections. "They are trying to cancel our nominations by showing some faults. We are going to the Election Commissioner to express our displeasure and the scrutiny should be held again and everything should be recorded and court instructions should be followed and nomination filing should be conducted in the presence of central forces," he added.

Condemning the attack West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said, "A bomb was hurled at the car of Nisith Pramanik, Police is literally helpless. Udayan Guha is standing there with his goons, with 1000-1500 people. They are snatching Form B from the hands of our workers. Election Commission and state administration are sitting silently. If a minister can be attacked like that, we can imagine what the situation in West Bengal must be. Is Mamta Banerjee running the state or doing drama."