Aparna Sen, other intellectuals visit trouble-torn Bhatpara

Veteran actor and filmmaker Aparna Sen Thursday led a team of intellectuals to visit trouble-torn Bhatpara and claimed that the "fight" between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP has turned into a "communal" battle there.

Urging the people to bring back normalcy, she said the team will submit a memorandum to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about the situation of Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district.

Two persons were killed and 11 others injured in the town on June 20 after clashes broke out between two groups believed to be affiliated to the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Sen along with thespians Kaushik Sen, Chandan Sen and others rallied from Kankinara to Bhatpara on Thursday afternoon and met the local people, besides visiting family members of Dharamveer Shaw, one of the two persons who were killed in a firing allegedly by the police on June 20.

"We will be submitting a memorandum to the governor as well as to the chief minister on the situation. The fight between two political parties has turned into a communal battle here. It was not like this before," Aparna Sen said.

"The fight between the TMC and the BJP is on since the time of the (Lok Sabha) elections. It has communally polarised people. But this is unacceptable," she said.

Lending support to Aparna Sen, Kaushik Sen said residents in and around Bhatparta are "living in fear" because of the ongoing violence.

Bhatpara, Kankinara, Jagaddal and its surrounding areas under the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency, where BJP candidate Arjun Singh recorded a well-fought win over TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi, have been witnessing clashes since polling took place there.

A TMC citadel for long, Bhatpara has been witnessing frequent post-poll violence between the rival Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress.

The fight has intensified ever since Arjun Singh crossed over from the TMC to the BJP.

During the agitation of junior doctors earlier this month, Aparna Sen and other intellectuals had also visited the medicos at the NRS Medical College and Hospital. Their stir had paralysed the state's medicare services for around a week.