General elections 2019: Violence broke out during a roadshow by BJP chief Amit Shah in Kolkata
BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday accused West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress of indulging in violence in the state and alleged that the Election Commission has been a "mute spectator".
The Election Commission will hold a review meeting with observers and Kolkata chief electoral officers for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 19.
The review meeting, to be held via video conference, comes a day after BJP and Trinamool Congress workers fought pitched battles on streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by saffron party president Amit Shah.
The violence started on Tuesday evening at the gates of Calcutta University. Some students in the campus allegedly shouted anti-BJP slogans and BJP supporters rushed at them with rods. Policemen stepped in to prevent a clash.
Here are the live updates:
The campaign for the last round of voting in Bengal has been cut short by the Election Commission after violence at BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow on Tuesday evening. For the first time, the powerful election body has used Article 324 of the Constitution, which gives it the powers of "superintendence, direction and control of elections".
Amit Shah is a liar. He is a puke worthy liar: Derek O'Brien
Here are the highlights of Derek O'Brien's address:
- Today is the saddest press conference we have held.
- Saddest for all of us to see the streets of Kolkata, there is anger and there is shock.
- The president of the BJP does what he does with his goons, who he hired from outside Bengal.
- What happened yesterday hurt the very ethos of Bengal.
- Just look at the pictures, what else can I say, what else can I do.
- You want to do a procession, please do that.
- Anyone can come and hold processions, but stick to that. Don't bring outside goons.
- Look at these videos. These are authentic videos, we are putting it on record and we will be taking them to the Election Commission this afternoon.
- You have all seen what is happening in this video and what happened yesterday.
- This video establishes that not only did they do all this with hired goons, but it also proves that Amit Shah is a liar.
- Vidyasagar was a social activist, a reformer, a writer. He was a leader of Bengal's Renaissance.
- The media is trying to verify the authenticity of tapes, where slogans can be heard "Vidyasagar shesh, where is the josh?" (Vidyasagar finished, where is the josh?)
- We are convinced that the central forces are in hand-in-glove with the BJP.
- Central forces are on the same page with the BJP.
- People in uniform you see here (in photos)... these people pretend by wearing uniform... you see the same people sitting elsewhere in plain clothes...
- These people (forces) are also constantly telling people "BJP ko vote do, BJP ko vote do"... they are working for the BJP
Trinamool Congress Spokesperson Derek O'Brien on desecration of Vidyasagar statue in Kolkata
After Violence At Amit Shah Rally, Trinamool Leaders Change Profile PicsIshwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a name every Bengali has grown up with, has been dragged into the acrimonious and violence-hit national election campaign in West Bengal. A day after a statue of the iconic 19th century reformer was vandalized in clashes following BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata, many Trinamool handles on Twitter had the image of Vidyasagar.
Here are the highlights of Amit Shah's address:
- Six phases of elections are over and there have been no incidents of violence anywhere except West Bengal.
- I want to tell Mamata Banerjee that she is fighting on 42 seats, BJP is fighting in all the states.
- If only Bengal is facing violence, Trinamool is to be blamed for it.
- PM Modi's posters have been torn, My posters were torn, yet BJP workers were calm.
- The roadshow started and support was overwhelming. There were so many people and it was a peacefully rally.
- On Vidyasagar statue allegation, we were outside.
- Who went inside to break the statue? TMC workers were inside. So who broke it?
- It's a conspiracy by TMC to gain sympathy
- The gate of the room was never broken
- The sort of public support we have seen in Bengal for the BJP shows what people want.
- 60 political activists have been killed in Panchayat polls in Bengal. Nowhere else has such a thing has happened.
- I also want to say that Election Commissioner has turned into a mute spectator. They should actively intervene
- We don't care if the opposition parties want to form a federal front to choose a leader of opposition
- I just want to say if CRPF was not there, I could not have survived the violence
- If Mamata Banerjee has nothing to hide, a probe should be ordered into the violence.
- This is not violence, This is an attack.
BJP chief Amit Shah addresses media on violence that broke out in Kolkata yesterday during his roadshow
- Violence, arson and the vandalising of an iconic statue of 19th century reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar marked a sharp escalation in the acrimonious election battle for Bengal after BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday.
- The Election Commission will hold a video conference with poll observers in West Bengal at 11:30 am today.
- Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool and the BJP accuse each other of smashing the statue, which is one of the most evocative symbols of renaissance in Bengal.
- The BJP has taken the fight to Delhi, complaining to the Election Commission and also planning a protest.
- Mamata Banerjee pledged a reply to what she call a "huge shame" as her party men added Vidyasagar's image to their Twitter accounts.