Kolkata: In a bid to express opposition to political murders in West Bengal, ModiPara, a group spreading the message of success and harmony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will take out a peaceful and silent rally in the city on Sunday.
During the march from Netaji House to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Bhawan, the volunteers of the group will keep their hands tied and mouth covered symbolising that there is no freedom for anyone to write anything against the state government. The unique protest will have participants from all over Kolkata.
While the ModiPara claims that 130 BJP supporters have lost their lives in political violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a press meet had claimed that 300 BJP workers had been killed in West Bengal.
The death of DYFI activist Maidul Islam Midya earlier this month, after being injured in clashes between police and Left workers marching to Nabanna, is still fresh in the mind of people. Sitting councillor Manish Shukla was shot dead in Titagarh on the northern outskirts of Kolkata in October last year and BJP worker Rabindranath Mondal died at Hingalganj in North 24-Parganas in October 2020.
Talking about how violence affects the voter, Sourav Sourav Mishra, Team NaMo coordinator narrated his real-life experience. “During the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, while I was standing in the queue to vote, TMC party workers dragged me out of the polling booth at Beliaghata, Rashmoni Bazaar. They threatened me that if I vote for anyone else other than the TMC candidate, they will harm me and my family,” he said.
“This has been happening in each district. Everyone, who has been trying to exercise their democratic rights against the ruling party, has been attacked. We want a fair playing ground. I want a safer Bengal. I support all the family members of people killed in political violence. If Bihar and UP can have polls without any violence, why can’t it be here?” asked Mishra.
BJP Delhi spokesperson Tajendra Pal Singh Bagga, who is the force behind the protest, said, “It will be a first of its kind event in India, where around 1,000 people will have their hands tied and walk. With this message, we can’t write anything against Bengal government, otherwise they will kill us too, like our 130 volunteers. No one is allowed to speak against the government. Our protest will be peaceful on Sunday.”
Affirming that he would participate in the peaceful march, Shakti Kashyap, a marketing professional from North 24-Parganas, said, “Our concern is that we are not allowed to get our voice through. We have to make people aware. Lot of people are still not aware what is happening on the ground.”
