Trinamool MP Nusrat Jahan said she she couldn't find the words to describe the "horror" (File)
Trinamool MP Nusrat Jahan on Tuesday afternoon attacked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the increasing number of violent crimes against women in his state.
She tweeted an NDTV report of an incident from UP's Hathras - a man accused of sexually assaulting a young woman allegedly shot her father dead - and demanded to know why Yogi Adityanath and the BJP prioritised the safety of the people of that state over elections in Bengal.
"SHOCKING! Cannot find the words to describe the horror that BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh has turned into! WHY couldn't Yogi Adityanath prioritize the safety & security of this family? Is Bengal elections more important to BJP?" she asked.
The tweet was posted shortly before Yogi Adityanath - whose government has been fiercely criticised for failing to protect women - campaigned for the BJP in Bengal's Malda district.
The controversial BJP leader hurled a litany of charges at Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, chief among which was that the state had descended into lawlessness and anarchy.
"There is anarchy in Bengal... the citizens are pained. Security is a huge concern. We need to ensure change in Bengal..." Yogi Adityanath told voters.
Trinamool MPs were quick to point out what they saw as irony in the UP Chief Minister's remark
Cabinet minister Firhad Hakim and MP Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar both tweeted videos of the Hathras incident with the hashtag "BJP Hatao, Beti Bachao" - a sarcastic reference to one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship programmes - "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao".
"Count of dreadful incidents from BJP-ruled UP is unending! The people of UP are suffering as the state of law and order is in shackles, yet Yogi Adityanath is in Bengal??" Dr Dastidar tweeted.
"I fail to understand how the safety & security of this lady's family could not be prioritized for a CM but Bengal polls? Certainly! Curious if Bengal BJP leaders imagine Mr Yogi Adityanath to be the "protector" of women's security and rights in Bengal!" Mr Hakim, who is also Kolkata Mayor, said.
UP's Hathras was also where, in September last year, a 20-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gangraped by four men from the so-called upper caste.
The horrific and savage assault on the young woman - she died from her injuries in Delhi's AIIMS - triggered outrage across the country, and put Yogi Adityanath and UP Police square in the spotlight.
Last month a 16-year-old Dalit girl in UP's Mahoba was allegedly gangraped and murdered.