BJP seeks Mamata’s resignation over Birbhum killings

PTI, Mar 23, 2022, 3:53 PM IST

Kolkata: A day after eight people were charred to death in Bengal’s Birbhum district in the suspected fallout of a TMC panchayat official’s murder, the opposition BJP on Wednesday demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation over the incident, alleging that attempts were being made to shield the culprits.

Banerjee has asserted that strict action would be taken against the perpetrators of violence.

”The chief minister is also the home minister of the state. She has failed in discharging her duties as the home minister. She should immediately resign,” Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari told reporters on his way to Birbhum, along with other legislators of his party.

BJP MP and the party’s state vice-president Arjun Singh stated that the CM must take moral responsibility for the incident and step down.

”Earlier it was the opposition workers facing the heat. Now it is TMC versus TMC in the state. Leaders of the ruling party are fighting among themselves. The CM must immediately step down and the probe into Birbhum killings must be handed over to the CBI. The police are trying to hush up the matter. Attempts are being made to shield the culprits,” Singh added.

Meanwhile, the TMC, taking a dig at the opposition BJP, said its ”members were out on a picnic”.

Sharing on Twitter a video of BJP leaders at a sweetmeat shop, he said that ”the saffron camp made arrangements for the visit of its members to violence-hit Birbhum, but they are having a picnic on their way to the district”.