All polling booths in Asansol should be manned by CRPF: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday demanded that all polling booths in Asansol Lok Sabha constituency, where bypolls will be held on April 12, be manned by CRPF personnel to ensure free and fair elections.

The Lok Sabha MP alleged that an atmosphere of fear has engulfed Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal.

”I will appeal to the Election Commission to deploy Central Reserve Police Personnel (CRPF) in large numbers in Asansol,” he told reporters here. Referring to Shatrughan Sinha, whom TMC has fielded in Asansol, Prasad said, ”The by-poll is being held in a unique situation wherein the man whom I had defeated in Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, has come to contest here.” Noting that Sinha has changed three political parties, Prasad questioned whether there is any guarantee that he will remain with the TMC till 2024, when the next Lok Sabha elections will be held.

Referring to the Birbhum killings, Prasad alleged that West Bengal has turned into a ”police state” and people approached the Calcutta High Court for relief as they were skeptical of police probing the incident impartially.

The high court has handed over the investigation into the incident, in which nine people died of burn injuries after assailants threw petrol bombs at several houses in Bogtui village near Rampurhat town on March 21 following the murder of local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The BJP leader called upon the people of Asansol to vote for BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul as the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked for unity and development of the country.

Reacting to Prasad’s comments, TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, ”BJP is doing politics over dead bodies. Ravi Shankar Prasad should apologise for casting aspersions on the law and order in West Bengal. Threatening to impose President’s rule in West Bengal won’t help.” The by-poll to Asansol constituency was necessitated since Supriyo resigned from his seat after joining the TMC. He will contest from Ballygunge assembly seat which fell vacant after state minister Subrata Mukherjee died last year.