The Birbhum massacre was taken up by MPs in the Lok Sabha on Thursday when leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress traded thorns inside and outside the House. In West Bengal, meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken a stern stance, saying that if the Rampurhat massacre suspects do not surrender, they must be found and arrested, stressing that the police will ensure the harshest punishment for the perpetrators.
On the other hand, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also reacted, calling the incident a “disgrace to humanity and democracy”.
The worst reaction to the recent horrific massacre at Rampurhat, where six women and two children were burnt alive in the recent memory of West Bengal Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar. The brutality of atrocities perpetrates shame on humanity and democracy. pic.twitter.com/MxQDBgBobO– Governor of West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (jdhankhar1) March 23, 2022
In the Lok Sabha, TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay demanded the removal of Governor Dhankhar from the state. “We have demanded the withdrawal of the governor. The Home Minister has told us that there is no politics on this issue.
At a press conference, BJP leader Sambit Patra denounced CM Banerjee, calling the TMC supremo a “ruthless Banerjee”. “This problem is not only related to West Bengal, it is related to our country as a whole. These are retaliatory killings. The files of Bengal are full. Incidents of such retaliatory killings. You are not Mamata Banerjee, ruthless Banerjee. She has not an ounce of mercy. The women of the village say that the police did not carry out the operation overnight.
Opposition leader Shuvendu Adhikari, in one of the earliest reactions, described the killings as “the most horrific genocide ever witnessed in West Bengal”.
Inspection of Bagatui village in Rampurhat; Including a delegation from Birbhum 4 BJP4 Bengal MLA. This is where the most horrific genocide witnessed by the World Bank took place. As expected WBPolice Tried to block our way. However, we can meet the relatives of the victims and resolve their concerns. — Shuvendu Adhikari •ShuvenduAdhikari March 23, 2022
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the killings a day before Birbhum as “heinous” and said the perpetrators should not be forgiven. Here, Prime Minister Modi was speaking at the inauguration of a gallery dedicated to the freedom fighters at the Victoria Memorial. The central government is willing to help the state in any way it can to bring the perpetrators to justice.
He said he hoped the state would take immediate steps to bring the perpetrators to justice. I am mourning for the violence in Birbhum district of West Bengal. “I hope the state government will ensure that those who have committed such heinous crimes are punished,” Modi said.
I would also urge the people of Bengal to never forgive the perpetrators of such incidents, those who encourage such perpetrators. The Center will extend all possible help to the state government to ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted, he said. Reacting to the Prime Minister’s offer to help ensure justice for the victims of the Birbhum massacre, TMC leader and senior Bengal minister Perth Chatterjee said it was the duty of the state government to ensure the rule of law. The culprits will be found and punished.
Banerjee, who landed at a helipad near the village of Bagatui where eight people were burned alive on Tuesday morning, also promised permanent government jobs to 10 family members of the victims.
“Police will ensure the strictest punishment for those responsible for the Rampurhat killings. The case filed in the court should be watered down, “he said. The Chief Minister has announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the relatives of the victims and Rs 2 lakh each for the reconstruction of the damaged houses.
Each of the injured will be given Rs 50,000, he added. “Police have been instructed to throw a dragonet across Bengal to uncover secret caches of illegal firearms and bombs,” Banerjee said.
Eight people, including two children, were killed when about a dozen huts were set on fire in Birbhum district on Tuesday morning in the suspected killing of a ruling TMC panchayat official.
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