Gandhinagar, Aug 16 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and accused her of encouraging violent activities to appease her vote-bank.





'West Bengal Police initially registered the incident as a natural death, despite clear evidence of rape and murder. Mamata Banerjee is encouraging violent activities to appease her vote-bank,' said BJP National Spokesperson Gopal Krishna Agarwal while addressing media persons along with the State General Secretary and Headquarters Incharge Rajni Patel.



Agarwal pointed out that the victim's family was informed that their daughter had committed suicide and when they arrived at the hospital they were made to wait for three hours before any information was provided.



He also noted that the college principal involved in the case resigned following public outrage only to be appointed to another hospital raising suspicions of a cover-up.



'Why the case was not handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and why forensic experts were not involved in the investigation,' said Agarwal.



He emphasised that the High Court had also criticised the handling of the case in strong terms.



'Mamata Banerjee is shielding the accused, many of whom are allegedly connected to Trinamool leaders and local police,' he said.



He said that similar incidents, including the public disrobing of opposition party supporters and the rape of a 14-year-old girl in 2021, demonstrate a pattern of violence and impunity in the state.



'Mamata Banerjee is working ruthlessly to weaken the nation through her political strategies including facilitating the infiltration of Bangladeshis into Bengal under the guise of secularism,' Agarwal claimed.



He also called for exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of such heinous crimes and urged the public to hold Mamata Banerjee accountable for the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal.



He also criticised Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi for his 'delayed' response to the incident accusing the opposition of being complicit in a larger conspiracy to weaken the country.

/IANS