TMC takes out rally against Kulgam attack, demands probe

The Trinamool Congress on Monday took out a candle light march here to protest against the killing of five labourers from the state in Kashmir last month.

Senior TMC leaders -- Sashi Panja and Santanu Sen -- participated in the march from Birla Planetarium to Gandhi statue at Mayo road, demanding an impartial probe into the incident that took place on October 29.

Five labourers - all residents of Bahalnagar village in Murshidabad district - were shot dead in Kulgam district of Kashmir. Another labourer was critically injured in the attack.

"We want an impartial inquiry. The party would stand by the family members of the five victims and extend all possible support to them," Sen said.

Carrying posters and placards, the TMC activists criticised the Centre for its "faulty policies" regarding Kashmir.

Responding to the TMC rally, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the state government should take steps to generate employment in order to stop migration.

"Instead of blaming the Union government for the Kashmir incident, the TMC leaders should ask themselves as to why labourers have to leave the state and migrate to far off places like Kashmir. This shows the ground reality of the employment situation in Bengal," Ghosh told reporters.

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had strongly condemned killing of the workers and demanded a "strong investigation" to find out the "real truth".

Her government provided a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims' families.

Meanwhile, a total of 138 labourers from West Bengal and Assam, working in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir, arrived in the city on Monday by Jammu Tawi Express.

The state government had arranged for a special coach for the workers, who expressed their desire to return in the wake of the brutal killing of the five labourers.