‘Bengal's people voted against this politics of violence’: Chirag Paswan alleges ‘TMC goons’ behind killing of Adhikari's aide

NEW DELHI: Union minister Chirag Paswan on Thursday condemned the killing of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s aide Chandranath Rath, alleging that the incident reflected the “politics of violence” that the people of West Bengal had voted against in the recently concluded assembly elections.Speaking to reporters in Patna, Paswan termed the incident “agonising and shameful” and alleged that “TMC goons” were behind the killing.“This is the very politics of violence that the people of Bengal voted against in the recently concluded assembly polls,” he said.Rath, Adhikari’s executive assistant, was shot dead on Wednesday night after bike-borne assailants allegedly forced his car to stop on the outskirts of Kolkata around 10.30 pm, days after the Bharatiya Janata Party registered a historic victory in the state.Paswan further alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress was unable to accept its electoral defeat. “The fact that they are unable to accept their defeat even after the elections have concluded shows the mindset with which they have oppressed the people of Bengal for 15 years,” he said, news agency PTI reported.The Union minister asserted that action would be taken against those responsible for the killing. “The Central government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are deeply concerned. Our stance is very clear: such violence will no longer be tolerated in Bengal,” Paswan said.Commenting on outgoing chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s reported refusal to resign, Paswan said a BJP government would soon be formed in the state regardless of her decision.“The TMC obviously doesn’t have the numbers. In such a case, the governor has the authority to dissolve the assembly. A new BJP government will soon be formed in West Bengal, which will take the state on the path of development,” he said.