The CEO of a jute mill was beaten to death allegedly by workers on factory premises after he rejected their demands in Hooghly district today, an incident that sparked a fresh war of words between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP.
H K Maheswari, chief executive officer (CEO) of North Brook Jute Mill at Bhadreswar neighbouring state capital Kolkata, was beaten up by agitated workers of the factory when he refused to accept their demand for an increase in the weekly working hours so that they are paid more, Hooghly SP Sunil Chowdhury said.
The CEO, who suffered serious injuries, was taken to a private nursing home where he succumbed this afternoon, Chowdhury said.
Condemning the incident, the Chief Minister alleged that it was an act of "CPI(M) and BJP goons", but BJP hit back, accusing the state government of failing to maintain law and order.
"It is very unfortunate. I heard that the union members of CPI(M) and BJP assembled at the jute mill with their demands and CEO H K Maheswari came out to hear them out when he was beaten up mercilessly," the Chief Minister said, stepping up attack on BJP.
Banerjee and BJP have been locked in a war of words since the bitter campaign for Lok Sabha elections which saw substantial rise of BJP's vote share in West Bengal. BJP has blamed the TMC government for recent attacks on its workers in the state.
Banerjee alleged, "Terror is being unleashed by BJP leaders through provocative speeches since they came to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections. CPI(M) and BJP goons are doing all this nuisance."
Ridiculing her remarks, Bengal BJP general secretary Shamik Bhattacharya said, "Mamata Banerjee should stop making such statements. Otherwise people henceforth won't take her comments seriously. It is really hilarious to hear such allegations from the Chief Minister of the state."
Bhattacharya accused Banerjee, who also holds the Home portfolio, of failing to maintain law and order, saying the incident of killing of an industrialist would have an adverse impact on the state.
"The Chief Minister, who is also Home Minister, should think about her own ministry before undertaking a reshuffle of the ministry as a whole as she has failed miserably to perform her duty," he said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Jute Mills Association, an umbrella body of the mills, also condemned the killing, saying it has put into question the survival of the jute industry in West Bengal.
According to SP Chowdhury, the workers had met Maheswari at 11 AM in his chamber and demanded that the weekly working hours be increased to 40 from the present 25, besides submitting a list of other demands.
