Instead of killing poverty they are "killing the poor": West Bengal Governor

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 8 : In the wake of panchayat polling violence in West Bengal, Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday lamented that the poor people are being killed in the state and the matter very disturbing.

"What I have seen on the field is very disturbing. There is violence, murder, force and intimidation. It is the poor who get killed. We should kill poverty, instead, we are killing the poor. This is something which is very disturbing," the West Bengal Governor said.

Asking people to take violence off the purview of politics and how lack of peace will affect the new generation, he said that violence needs to be "nipped in the bud".

"Lack of peace in society will affect the new generation. Politics is there. But violence, I would like to take it off the purview of politics. There is nothing called our violence and your violence. Violence has to be condemned. Violence has to be nipped in the bud," the Governor said.

The Governor said that the initiative of the peace room will continue in future and is not limited to the panchayat election alone.

"This initiative of peace room which I have started in Raj Bhavan is not meant for election alone. We should establish peace at any cost. Peace has its victories. Peace and social integration, that is what is required in the rural areas," he said.

The Governor said that he got to feel the village of Bengal through his field visits. "India lives in its villages. Today I could feel the Bengal village, how they feel, how they react, how they suffer, what they want, what they aspire for," he said.

Speaking about his priorities in Bengal, the Governor said, "My peace mission will continue, hand in hand, with the poor people, the common man of Bengal. Two issues are important for me- to stand against violence and to root out corruption. These two campaigns will go on with the blessings and support of the people of Bengal."

West Bengal witnessed a day marred with violence as the state voted for its three-tiered local administration in the rural areas on Saturday. There was a fierce tussle between the ruling TMC and the BJP, as the outcome of the polls will serve as a litmus test for both parties ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.

West Bengal has 3,341 gram panchayats and the number of village panchayat election centres is 58,594. There are 63,239 seats at the Gram Panchayat level, 9730 at Panchayat Samiti and 928 at the Zila Parishad level. The counting of votes will be held on July 11.