This story is from July 24, 2019

Mamata a victim of political violence, surprised at pol killings under her rule: Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said it is "surprising" that political killings are taking place in West Bengal under the leadership of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee who herself has been a "victim of political violence".
She was speaking at an event titled 'People's Tribunal on Political Violence in Bengal' organised by Call For Justice and India Foundation.
At the event, families of the victims of alleged political violence in West Bengal narrated their ordeal.
"I am saddened that to gain power, win elections, or to punish those who vote for another party, someone can be so brutal that they take away someone's life by strangulating them, hanging them or setting them ablaze. It is unbelievable," Swaraj said.
"They (who died) were not at fault. They had not killed anybody. They had become members of a political outfit. They had adopted BJP due to its ideology. They were working for the party and they were punished for it," she said at the event.
The former external affairs minister said she was "astonished" that these incidents have happened during the tenure of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "who has herself been a victim of political violence for long".
"I have seen those times. I have known her for long. Initially, our relationship was only about exchanging pleasantries, but later it became stronger due to one such incident. When the CPI(M) government was there in West Bengal, everyday the issue (of political violence) was raised in Parliament," she recalled.
Swaraj said when she was the leader of opposition, Banerjee had told her about an incident where hands of some people had been severed because they voted for Trinamool Congress (TMC).
"She (Banerjee) told me legs of some people were also severed. She brought them to Delhi and requested me to talk to them. It was at the same venue (Constitution Club) where I had met them," Swaraj told the gathering.
Recalling another such incident, the senior BJP leader said she had gone to meet Banerjee after she was hospitalised for months due to a serious head injury.
"I am surprised... a victim of political violence after becoming the ruler should run the government in a democratic way and ensure that people are not scared to vote for another party. But how time changes... I had not thought about it," she lamented.
After hearing the accounts of some of the families, Swaraj said it was disappointing how some hangings had been billed as 'suicides' and how instead of registering FIRs, general diary entries had been filed by the police in the state.
"I do not know why she (Banerjee) is allowing this to happen. She is adopting the same tactics (like the earlier government) to safeguard her political existence. I had thought that she would run the temple of democracy in a democratic way, but it saddens me to hear the testimonies of people here. They won't get justice there and that is why they have come here," she said.
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