Families of Slain BJP Workers in West Bengal to Hold ‘Public Tribunal’ in Delhi

The West Bengal BJP will take relatives of party workers who died in alleged political violence during the past year to New Delhi for a “public tribunal”, in a move to counter the Trinamool Congress’s Martyrs’ Day rally. Party sources said the families were also likely to meet Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah to seek justice.

The ‘public tribunal’

A senior state BJP leader said the families of 23 victims would speak about continuing violence and what the party calls an undemocratic atmosphere in the state, at an event organised by a think tank regarded as close to the BJP. The leader said the party was trying to arrange a meeting with Shah, whom the families were keen to meet, and accused the state government of trying to cover up the cases.

Another senior leader said the aim was to expose Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee before a national audience over what he called her politics of eliminating opponents. He said that while she had held a Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21, she was herself practising such politics, and the party wanted to show up this “duplicity”.

Background

In May, families of dead BJP workers were invited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in, which upset Banerjee, who then chose not to attend the ceremony.

The BJP made gains in Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, winning 18 of the state’s 42 seats, compared with just two in 2014. Since the results, the BJP and the Trinamool Congress have been fighting a political battle, with the 2021 assembly election in view.

What happened next

In the 2021 West Bengal assembly election the Trinamool Congress won 215 seats and the BJP 77, and Mamata Banerjee remained Chief Minister.

See also: BJP | Elections

Originally published on 23 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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