The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday asked the state government to submit a report on the Murshidabad violence during Ram Navami and urged the Election Commission (EC) to delay elections in Berhampur. The move comes after a petition was filed at the high court.
The petition seeks a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the issue. The next hearing is scheduled for April 26.
The Calcutta High Court said, "If people cannot enjoy and celebrate in peace, any festival, even for 8 hours, we will recommend the Election Commission of India not to hold parliamentary elections in such constituencies. If despite model code of conduct being invoked, two sets of people are fighting with each other they do not have any right to vote their representative."
On the occasion of Ram Navami, a woman was injured in a blast at a rally at Saktipur in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, police said.
The woman was taken to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. "The blast happened this evening. One woman was injured in it. We are investigating the incident," the police officer had told PTI.
The officer, however, did not clarify whether the blast was due to a bomb or some other reason.
The very next day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the violence was "pre-planned" and accused the BJP of orchestrating it ahead of polling for the Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the BJP reacted, saying Banerjee should be held accountable for failing to protect Bengali Hindus.
While Baharampur is dominated by over 66 per cent Muslim population, the constituency is also inhabited by minorities like Christians (0.25 per cent), Jains (0.04 per cent) and Sikhs (0.01 per cent).
Besides the religious spread, 13.2 per cent of the total population in Baharampur belongs to the Scheduled Castes (SC) category and 0.9 per cent to Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The Lok Sabha constituency has seven assembly segments -- Burwan (SC), Kandi, Bharatpur, Rejinagar, Beldanga, Baharampur, and Naoda -- all in the Murshidabad district.
The seven-phase polls started on Friday and West Bengal will vote in all the phases -- April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. In Baharampur, polling is scheduled for May 13. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
(With agency inputs)
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