Hundreds of agitated BJP workers gathered on a highway near Kolkata on Saturday night.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee - who is under Central pressure over law and order in her state -- today issued a veiled warning to the BJP, saying "an injured tiger is more dangerous than a dead tiger". The warning comes amid a huge political controversy over violence in the state, which has continued through the national election. Today, Bengal Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah to discuss the ground situation in the state, where two BJP men were killed on Saturday. The Centre has issued an advisory to state, asking it to maintain law and order.
Here are the top ten developments in this big story:
Bengal Governor Kesari Nath Tripathi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi today. "I have told PM Modi and the home minister about the ground situation in the state," he told NDTV after the meeting this afternoon.
The Governor on Sunday expressed concern over "loss of lives" in the clashes. "Governor Tripathi is very sad at the unfortunate loss of lives and properties of the citizens. He extends his heartfelt sympathy for the families and near and dear ones of the deceased," a statement from his office read.
The Bengal BJP is observing a statewide "Black Day" and a 12-hour shutdown in North 24 Parganas district's Basirhat, the epicenter of political clashes on Saturday, to protest the killing of its workers. Party workers took out protest rallies in Basirhat demanding immediate arrests. They were seen sitting on roads and railways tracks disrupting the movement of vehicles and trains.
Hundreds of BJP workers were stopped by police on a highway near Kolkata when they were on their way to the state capital with the bodies of the two workers who died in Saturday's clashes. The BJP has claimed that at least three of its workers died in clashes at Nayjat, about 70 km from Kolkata. Late last night, hundreds of BJP workers carried out the funerals of two party workers in a village in Basirhat after a face-off with police. The party has also said several workers are missing.
Workers from the two parties - the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP - had come to blows over the removal of party flags from public places in North 24 Parganas district on Saturday. A Trinamool worker was shot and then hacked to death. Two BJP workers were killed - one of them shot through the eye.
The Centre, in an advisory to Bengal on Sunday, expressed "deep concern" over the death of people in the political violence. "The unabated violence over the past weeks appears to be a failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and inspire confidence among people," the advisory read. Home Minister Amit Shah also sought a report from the state government on the violence.
The state government, however, countered the centre's advisory and said the situation in the state is "under control" and there were only a few "stray post-poll clashes". State Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De wrote that "firm and appropriate actions" were initiated in all cases of violence without any delay.
The Trinamool Congress, in a letter to Amit Shah, called the Centre's advisory a "conspiracy" against the Mamata Banerjee government. "Why are they sending advisories to Bengal, a peaceful state? Why no advisory to UP and Gujarat? It's a conspiracy against Mamata Banerjee, Bengal and the government. We dare them impose Article 356 (President's Rule)," party leader Partha Chatterjee said.
The workers of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have been on a spiral of violence as the turf war in Bengal gains momentum. The political clashes on Saturday was one of the many incidents of violence in the last 10 days.
In the recently-held Lok Sabha election, the BJP increased its tally from two to 18 of the state's 42 seats. Mamata Banerjee's party was slightly ahead with only 22 seats, dropping from 34 in 2014.
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