‘Shah a political tourist, tarnishing state’s image’: Trinamool hits back

“Is Amit Shah ji here as the union home minister or as a BJP leader? He is visiting Bengal after two years, as a political tourist. We condole the death of Arjun Chowrasiya. All deaths are painful. But how did the Union home minister know that it was a ‘political murder’? What is the need then for an investigation into the incident? Police are investigating the case and his family members have alleged that he was murdered. Let the police investigate it from all angles. Only after a probe will it be known if it was a murder of suicide. We all want the truth to come out,” Chandrima Bhattacharya, state MoS for finance, health and family welfare, said at a press conference on Friday.

“Through his statements, Amit Shah is tarnishing the image of Bengal. The state is peaceful under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. They simply cannot digest the fact that Mamata Bannerjee received a huge mandate from the people of Bengal for the third time. This also explains why on the day she took oath as the CM for the third time last year, Shah is here spreading canards,” Bhattacharya added.

“Immediately after the incident, BJP leaders and workers rushed to the spot and tried to thwart the police from doing their duty. They tampered with evidence. Was all this pre-planned? They are trying to build a false narrative. Amit Shah said the body was snatched from the family members. That is a routine procedure. Police have to take away the body for post-mortem examination,” said Sashi Panja, state minister for women and child development who was also present at the press conference.

Both TMC leaders also questioned the Union Home minister’s silence in cases of murder and atrocities on women in BJP-ruled Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. “Why did he not visit the spot or family members in Delhi, Unnao, Prayagraj and others? Those bulldozing our democracy are trying to preach to us,” Panja said.