Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday alleged that BJP workers in West Bengal were being killed only for their political ideology, a charge dismissed as baseless by the ruling Trinamool Congress(TMC).
The TMC claimed that on the contrary it was their members who were being targeted in political violence in the state.
The fresh war of words between Modi and the TMC came a day after a BJP worker Chandan Shaw was shot dead in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district that has already triggered a blame game. The BJP alleged a TMC hand behind the killing while the ruling party dismissed the allegation as baseless.
A 23-year-old BJP worker was shot dead in Nadia district's Chakdaha town on Friday night, with the saffron party alleging that TMC men were behind the incident. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjeeon Saturday said the killing might have been a result of infighting within the BJP.
Addressing a rally during a thanksgiving visit to Varanasi from where he won the Lok Sabha polls for the second time, Modi spoke about the dangers faced by his party in the form of "political untouchability" and political violence in which party workers were being killed in Bengal for their ideology.
"Take the cases of Kerala or Kashmir, Bengal or Tripura, it will not come in the media. Some people have selective sensitivity. Hundreds of workers have been killed only for political ideology. In Tripura, workers were hanged. In Bengal, murders are still on. In Kerala too... perhaps, in India only one political party has faced such killings. Violence has been given legitimacy. This is a danger before us," Modi said.
Dismissing the allegation, a senior TMC leader, who did not want to be named, asserted that it was his party workers who were being brutally murdered in political violence in the state.
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The leader claimed that not a single BJP worker has been killed in Bengal in political violence.
"The allegations(by Modi) are baseless. The fact is not a single BJP worker has been killed in Bengal due to political violence. During panchayat polls, more than 30 Trinamool workers were murdered by the BJP. They also killed a Trinamool MLA," the leader said.
Violent incidents were reported from across West Bengal since the Lok Sabha poll results were announced on Thursday.
The BJP recorded a stunning performance in West Bengal winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats at stake as against its tally of just two in 2014. The TMC bagged 22 seats.