Trinamool hands over Kolkata violence video to EC

A four-member Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation of Rajya Sabha MPs on Wednesday handed over to the Election Commission (EC) some video clippings of the violence that occurred during BJP President Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday in which a statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was vandalised at the college named after the social reformer.

The delegation, comprising Derek O'Brien, Manish Gupta, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Nadimul Haque, also requested the Commission to take necessary steps over the incident which it claimed was orchestrated by supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"What happened yesterday was very bad. Outsiders were brought in. They did not accept the democratic protest carried out peacefully by the students with black placards in Kolkata... They jumped over the gate and vandalised Vidyasagar's statue. There are credible video footages to show that," O'Brien told the media after visiting the EC.

The Trinamool leader further said that it was the saddest moment ever for his party which has been in existence for the last 20 years.

"The greatness of Vidyasagar as an educationist, social reformer and a great human being is known not only in Bengal, but everywhere in India. Today we are not only angry, but also disappointed. Everyone in the state learn Bengali alphabets by studying the 'Bornoporichoy', which was the creation of the great man."

He said that Amit Shah's press conference on Wednesday once again proved that he was a "liar".

"The video footage we showed to the Election Commission today has evidence. Proof number one is that everybody who jumped the gate in the Vidyasagar College belonged to the BJP, which could be made out from the colour of their clothes.

"The second proof is that they were caught on camera breaking the statue. Do not believe what I am saying, believe what you see in the videos we presented before the Election Commission," O'Brien said.

He also mocked Shah for saying in an election rally 10 days ago that Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was born in Birbhum in West Bengal. "He (Shah) did not know that Tagore was born in Jorasanko in Kolkata."

Slamming the BJP President for saying Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had turned 'sonar' (golden) Bangla into 'kangal' (pauper) Bangla, O'Brien said: "We live in the hope that the people of Bengal will see through (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and Shah. They are trying to use the same trick they used in Gujarat everywhere."

Referring to Modi calling Mamata Banerjee a "speed breaker", the Trinamool leader said: "For once I agreed with Modi. Mamata Banerjee is a speed breaker. She was a speed breaker for him in 2014, when despite sweeping all over the country, the BJP stumbled in West Bengal. Mr Modi, you are right. She is again a speed breaker for you this time."

--IANS

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