Blaming criminals allegedly affiliated to the ruling TMC in West Bengal for the deaths of at least eight people in a fire incident in Birbhum district, the BJP demanded a CBI probe into the matter on Tuesday and a delegation of its state leaders also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking his intervention.
Slamming the West Bengal government over the incident, BJP president J P Nadda, in a tweet, said, "Shocked by the death of 10 innocent persons in violence that took place at Rampurhat in Birbhum district of West Bengal. This incident proves that Mamata Banerjee government has no control over law and order. I condemn this incident in the strongest words and demand strict action against the culprits."
Addressing a press conference here, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said it would be appropriate for Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, to resign as her government is unable to protect citizens and has instead, allegedly extended patronage to criminals.
Eight people, including two children, were killed in the early hours of Tuesday after their houses were gutted in a fire at Rampurhat in Birbhum district, police said.
The incident took place hours after the killing of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat leader on Monday, Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Malaviya told reporters in Kolkata.
The BJP alleged that the houses of the victims were set ablaze by goons affiliated to the TMC as an act of revenge.
Malaviya said seven charred bodies were recovered from one of the burnt houses, while one injured person died in a hospital.
Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the incident, he added.
Bhatia and BJP MP from West Bengal Locket Chatterjee said democracy is being put to shreds in the state and law and order has ceased to exist.
The state has become "terrorists' own country", Chatterjee alleged. Bhatia used the barb "Badlapur" (state of revenge) for West Bengal.
Chatterjee, who was part of the BJP delegation that met Shah, said the home minister expressed concern about the incident and told them that his ministry has sought a report from the state government within 72 hours. No law and order exists in the state and the home ministry should intervene, she added.
Hitting out at Banerjee, Bhatia said she may have won the polls but has lost the people's confidence and claimed that BJP members in West Bengal were victims of political violence following the TMC's win in the Assembly election in May last year.
"It is natural that a probe by the state police cannot be fair and hence, a neutral agency should investigate the incident," he said.
The Chief Minister has no faith either in the Constitution or on a constitutional seat such as that of the governor, Bhatia alleged.
Chatterjee said conflicting reports about the incident have been given by the state establishment, with some claiming that a short-circuit had led to the fire.
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