Parties blame each other for sporadic violence in N Bengal
The Election Commission received over 100 complaints of violence and intimidation from three Lok Sabha segments, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.
The BJP has decided to mark the first anniversary of the Daribhit School firing incident on 20 September with various programmes.
Two students were killed when police allegedly opened fire on a protesting crowd of students and their guardians in the Daribhit High School in Islampur in North Dinajpur district on 20 September last year.
The bullets also left one more student injured.
Advertisement
“We will organise different programmes, including protest meetings, rallies, sit-anddraw competitions, blood donation camps and kirtan singing (religious songs) from 15 September to 20 September as a mark of respect to the departed souls,” BJP leaders said after a meeting they held at the field of the Daribhit High School this afternoon.
The President of the North Dinajpur BJP committee, Nirmal Dam, recounted how the students and the guardians had been protesting the appointment of teachers in two inconsequential subjects like Urdu and Sanskrit and how they were demanding teachers for important subjects like English, History and Mathematics, when police allegedly opened fire at the protesters.
Rajesh Sarkar, 21, and Tapas Barman, 21, were killed in the incident. Police have, however, denied the allegation that it opened fire at the protesters.
“We demanded CBI inquiry into the death of the students, but the state government did not agree to it. We will observe the completion of one year of the incident this month. On 15 September, we will organise a 12-km rally from Islampur bus terminus to Daribhit, demanding CBI inquiry into the incident. On 17 and 18 September, a sit-anddraw competition will be organised for students of different age groups. “Then a blood donation camp will also be held. On 20 September, there will a prayer for peace as we remember the deceased students. That evening, a ‘kirtan’ programme will be held in the village,” Mr Dam said.
Advertisement
