Nadda offers 'mass tarpan' for slain BJP workers

Kolkata : BJP working president J P Nadda on Saturday offered 'mass tarpan' for party workers who lost their lives in political violence in West Bengal in the last few years.

The 'mass tarpan' highlights the saffron party's narrative of widespread political violence in West Bengal, where BJP has made deep inroads in the last few years, party sources said. Tarpan is a Hindu ritual in which prayers are offered for the dead on Mahalaya ahead of Durga Puja.

Senior party leaders, including state president Dilip Ghosh and national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, were present at the programme. "A mass tarpan for 67 slain BJP workers was performed at Baghbazar Ghat here.

Their family members along with senior party leaders were present for the ritual. Tarpan for two Muslim BJP workers, who were killed last year, was also held," a senior state BJP leader said.

The family members of deceased BJP workers spoke to Nadda, after the rituals and demanded punishment for the culprits.

"We spoke to J P Naddaji and requested him to ensure CBI inquiry into killing of my son Rajesh Sarakar and his friend Tapas Burman, during agitation demanding a Mathematics teacher in s school.

Until and unless the killers are arrested and punsihed, my son's soul will not rest in peace." Nilkamal Sarkar said.

Tapas Burman and Rajesh Sarkar were shot dead in 2018 during an agitation by school students at Islampur in North Dinajpur district demanding appointment of Mathematics and Science teachers in the school.

Family members of 18-year-old BJP worker Trilochan Mahato who was found hanging from a tree in Purulia district in June after the West Bengal panchayat polls in 2018, too demanded justice.

"It has been nearly a year but not a single culprit has been arrested. Is this not a mockery of justice? Just because we are poor we don't get justice," said Trilochan's relative, Amar Mahato.

Union minister and BJP MP Debasree Chaudhuri said when BJP comes to power in Bengal it will ask for CBI inquiry into the killing of the two students in North Dinajpur district.

In a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, J P Nadda on Saturday said she has started a "jungle raj" and let loose a "reign of terror" in the state.