New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday strongly condemned the killing of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, describing it as a “cold-blooded, barbaric and cowardly execution” allegedly carried out by Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons.
In a post on X, the MP from Odisha’s Sambalpur accused TMC of unleashing a “blood-soaked political culture” under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “The brutal murder of Chandranath Rath, aide to Suvendu Adhikari ji, is yet another grim reminder of the blood-soaked political culture unleashed by Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal,” he wrote.
Dharmendra further alleged that BJP workers and supporters have been repeatedly targeted “simply for refusing to surrender to TMC’s politics of fear and intimidation.” He described the incident as part of a “deliberate ecosystem of terror designed to crush democratic opposition,” linking it to TMC’s alleged desperation following the BJP’s strong performance in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.
“Bengal is witnessing a direct assault on democracy, where dissent is answered with violence and political rivalry is treated as justification for murder,” he noted.
The Union Minister warned that violence has no place in democracy and that those responsible, perpetrators and protectors alike, would be held accountable. He also extended condolences to Rath’s family, stating that his sacrifice and those of other BJP karyakartas would not go in vain.
Rath, 42, a former Indian Air Force veteran who had become a trusted aide and troubleshooter for Adhikari, was shot dead late on Wednesday while returning home from a party programme in the Madhyamgram area of North 24 Parganas district, near Kolkata.
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According to police and eyewitness accounts, motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted Rath’s white Scorpio vehicle in the Doharia area. The attackers, who are suspected to have tailed the car after reconnaissance over previous days, forced it to slow down or stop before opening fire at close range. Rath sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head, chest, and abdomen. He was rushed to Viva City Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Buddhadeb Bera, was also critically injured in the attack and is undergoing treatment at the same hospital. Forensic teams, along with CID personnel, visited the crime scene to collect ballistic evidence, examine the vehicle, and review CCTV footage.
Police have seized a suspicious vehicle with a fake number plate believed to have been used to block Rath’s car.
The killing has intensified post-poll tensions in the state. BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, have called it a pre-planned murder, with some suggesting a possible link to Rath’s active role in the Bhabanipur area where Adhikari secured a notable victory.
TMC has condemned the murder while also alleging attacks on its own workers in recent days. The party demanded a court-monitored CBI investigation into the violence affecting all sides and stated that “violence and political killings have no place in a democracy.”
West Bengal Police have launched a probe, with senior officials including the DGP visiting the spot. Investigations are focusing on CCTV footage, possible contract killers, and the motive behind the targeted ambush. Postmortem proceedings are underway.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and raised fresh concerns about law and order and political violence in West Bengal in the wake of the assembly election results.
