Trinamool trivialising attack on democracy: Left Front

The Left Front Saturday criticised the West Bengal's Trinamool Congress government for the recent gang-rape of a college student and attacks on two TV journalists and accused the authorities of trivialising "attacks on democracy".

"The gang-rape case and the attacks on the journalists are a glaring example of attacks on democracy under this government," Left Front chairman Biman Bose told mediapersons here.

Referring to custodial death of student activist Sudipta Gupta and the Park Street rape case, Bose said: "Whenever democratic rights of the citizens are infringed upon, the government's attitude has been of that it is not a big issue."

Two journalists from two Bengali News channels were hospitalised with serious injuries after being attacked while covering a clash allegedly between two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress in Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district, some 25 km from Kolkata Friday.

On the same day, a 20-year-old girl was abducted, gang-raped and murdered in Barasat also in the district.

The twin incidents have been widely condemned by political parties as well as members of the civil society.

Bose said the "stand of the government on such issues was encouraging anti-social elements".

He urged the people of Bengal to "protest against such attacks" so that it is "not repeated in future".

Accusing the Trinamool of preventing opposition candidates from filing nominations for the July 2, 6, and 9 panchayat (rural body) polls, Bose urged the State Election Commission and state administration to ensure that political parties were able to freely campaign and speak to the people for the upcoming polls.

Bose also alleged rampant violation of model code of conduct by the ruling party seeking the poll panel's intervention.