West Bengal: Yechury says assault on journalists cold blooded murder of democracy, demands fresh civic polls

Lambasting the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal over violence in Municipal elections, CPI-M on Saturday said it was a "cold blooded murder of democracy" and called for fresh elections to the two Municipal Corporations monitored by Central forces. "Today in the Bengal elections media too has been roundly attacked by the Trinamool Congress. It is a cold blooded murder of democracy in West Bengal. And in the interest of democracy, there should be fresh elections monitored by Central forces. Otherwise, the process of restoring democracy and rule of law in Bengal is in danger," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said when asked to comment about about violence in municipal polls and assaults on journalists.

Sporadic violence and assaults on journalists on Saturday marred elections to two municipal corporations in West Bengal even as over 70 per cent people cast their votes. "The voter turnout till 5 pm in Bidhanngar and Asansol was 71 per cent. We have received complaints of violence, rigging and malpractices from both places. We are looking into those complaints and will decide the course of action," State Election Commissioner S R Upadhaya said. The election to Bally under Howrah Municipal Corporation and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad passed off peacefully, he said.
Rubbishing opposition allegations that ruling

Trinamool Congress had used outsiders to unleash violence in Bidhannagar and Asansol, senior ruling party leader and state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said "The opposition parties have tried to create violence during the elections. As the ruling party why should we create violence? We want to categorically state that in Bengal rule of the law has been established under Mamata Banerjee." Several journalists of various media houses were assaulted while covering the elections in the Bidhannagar.

Senior CPI-M leader Gautam Deb announced that the Left Front has called a 12-hour bandh at Rajarhat-Bidhannagar area on Monday in protest against the alleged malpractices and violence.