Expressing outrage over the killing of a BJP leader in Bengal, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar today accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of ignoring his late night message to "speak urgently".
BJP leader Manish Shukla was shot dead last evening at Barrackpore, about 20 km from Kolkata, when he was speaking with some locals and party workers near a police station. The party has blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee for the killing, which adds another incident to the violent run-up to the Bengal election due next year.
The Governor, whose feud with the Chief Minister has been unrelenting and unfiltered, alleged "targeted political killings in spite of alert by constitutional head" in tweets this morning and accused the police of not responding to his summons.
"Alarming nosediving law and order scenario @MamataOfficial. Targeted political killings in spite of alert by Constitutional Head. Neither ACS (Additional Chief Secretary) Home nor DGP Bengal Police responded. To CM (Chief Minister) at 10.47 PM "Would like to speak to you urgently !" Only silence that speaks volumes," Mr Dhankhar tweeted.
The Governor had earlier tweeted about summoning the Additional Chief Secretary and police chief at 10 am today to discuss the "worsening law and order situation".
Reports suggest Manish Shukla, a member of the BJP's Barrackpore organisational district committee and a former councilor, was shot by men on bikes. Senior BJP leaders accused Mamata Banerjee's party of a role in the attack and called for a 12-hour bandh on Monday.
The Trinamool Congress has rubbished the BJP's charge and alleged that the killing was a result of the party's internal dispute.
In recent months, there have been about a dozen such killings of political workers, mainly belonging to the BJP and the Trinamool.
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