Kolkata, May 5: BJP president J P Nadda on Wednesday took an oath here to protect democracy and "save the people of West Bengal from the vicious cycle of political violence", shortly after Mamata Banerjee was sworn in as the Chief Minister at Raj Bhavan for her third consecutive term.
The saffron party has claimed that at least six of its workers and supporters, including a woman, were killed in attacks allegedly perpetrated by the TMC following its victory in assembly elections.
Nadda, who on Tuesday attended a dharna in the central part of the city in protest, said his party will ensure that the entire country gets to know about the widespread violence unleashed in the state following the declaration of poll results. "I will be visiting districts such as North 24 Parganas to be on the side of our members who were at the receiving end of this brutal violence... We want to tell the entire country about this," Nadda said at a programme organised by the saffron camp at its Hastings office here. Authorities that are supposed to protect people are not performing their duties well, he claimed.
"Violence witnessed during Partition has returned to Bengal. We will continue to serve the people here, carry forward Modiji's vision for the state. We will strive to break this chain of political violence," he said. The "oath" to save democracy and the people of Bengal was read out by state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, with Nadda and other BJP leaders repeating after him.
"Everyone has the right to take an oath as guaranteed by the Constitution. We have assembled here today to take a vow to protect the state, constitutional values and democracy," Nadda added. Later in the day, he visited Jagaddal in North-24 Parganas and met the family members of a BJP worker, whose mother died allegedly when "TMC goons" attacked them on May 2. - PTI
