TMC has vested interest in power-grid project, alleges BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday strongly condemned the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the Bhangar incident, saying that the state government has some vested interest in the power-grid project.

"In Bhangar, what Mamata ji and her administration have done is that they opened fire. TMC goons have also been involved in clearing the land because it is said there is personal interest or TMC interest into this entire project," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh told ANI.

Resonating similar sentiments, BJP's West Bengal secretary Rahul Sinha called out the Bhangarh incident an effect of the conflict between two groups of TMC.

"The reason behind what has happened in Bhangar is the tiff between the two groups of TMC. Bhangar has become a source of income for the people of TMC. It is due to this that the fight occurred," Sinha told ANI.

Condemning the incident, Sinha further said that it put a blot on the image of Bengal as a state worthy of starting up industries.

"This incident sends out the message that no industry can grow in Bengal. Whatever be the internal conflict of the party, it sends this message outside. It shows there is no future of youth and employment. The economic situation will deteriorate even more. Bhangar incident is a fresh example of no investment suppose to take place in Bengal," he said.

The villagers clashed with the police yesterday at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas over construction of an electric sub-station even as the state government said the work on it has stopped and urged the agitators to sit for talks to restore peace.

According to reports, a senior police officer said they were attacked by the villagers and a few of them were injured by stones and bricks thrown at them.

The villagers on the other hand alleged that the police resorted to unprovoked lathicharge and tear gassing.

However, Power Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay has denied any police action.