'There was murder of democracy in Bengal': PM Modi slams Mamata govt over panchayat poll violence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hit out at the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal over violence during the panchayat elections in the state, saying democracy was "murdered" for narrow political interests.

Addressing BJP workers at the party headquaters here following the Karnataka verdict, he said the people should think seriously about the violence in West Bengal yesterday.

"The way democracy was murdered... from (filing of) nominations to polling, democracy had no place," he said.

Modi claimed that efforts were made to ensure that "opposition candidates are unable to file their nominations so that ruling party members are elected unopposed".

"Ballot boxes were found in a pond... innocent party workers, not only of the BJP but of other parties too, were killed," he said.

Modi told the gathering that once the people of Bengal led the nation, but blood was spilled yesterday to further political interests.

"I don't talk of who wins or loses, but democracy was wounded... All parties, the civil society and the judiciary will have to play an active role... My concern is democracy, and I am not here to blame any political party," he said.

The West Bengal unit of the BJP today slammed the TMC for "murdering democracy" in the state during yesterday's Panchayat polls that left at least 12 people dead and several injured.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh alleged that the law and order situation under the present government has completely collapsed in West Bengal.

"The TMC along with SEC (West Bengal State Election Commission) has murdered the democracy in the state. They have snatched away the democratic rights of the masses. If the TMC is so confident of the development it has done then why didn't it allow the masses to vote freely," Ghosh said.

Widespread violence during the panchayat polls yesterday left at least 12 people dead and 43 injured, even as more than 73 per cent of the electorate turned up to cast their vote.

Opposition parties have accused the TMC of unleashing "a reign of terror and destroying democracy". The TMC has termed the allegations "baseless".

"Initially, they didn't allow people to file nominations. And those who managed to do so were threatened by TMC and were asked to withdraw. The people who didn't withdraw were attacked. This is nothing but a complete destruction of the democratic process in the state," he said.

The youth wing of the BJP has today called a candlelight march in the city to protest against yesterday's violence.

With inputs from PTI