Trinamool used Maoists to vandalise Syama Prasad's bust in March: BJP
Kolkata, June 23: The BJP on Saturday lauded the West Bengal government's decision to observe the death anniversary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, but accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of using Maoists to vandalise the leader's bust in March.
West Bengal Ministers Firhad Hakim and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay on Saturday attended a government programme before Mookerjee's bust at south Kolkata's Keoratala crematorium on the occasion of his 65th death anniversary and claimed there was "no politics" in paying respect to "a great son of Bengal and India".
Responding to it, BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha told reporters here that "Trinamool used Maoists to vandalise the bust of Mookerjee and now they are trying to atone for the sin that they had committed. I think Trinamool took time to realise that Bengal is still a part of India because of Syama Prasad Mookerjee."
He was refering to the March 7 incident when the bust was vandalised by a group of Left radicals in protest against the pulling down of two statues of Russian communist revolutionary Lenin in Tripura, allegedly by the BJP-RSS activists.
Appreciating the Bengal government's decision, state BJP President Dilip Ghosh, however, said "it had come too late".
"I heard of the state government's decision to observe the death anniversary of Syama Prasad. This is a noble thought and good job. But it has come too late. However, it deserves to be praised and I appreciate the government's decision," he said after paying his respect to Mookerjee.
State Minister Hakim said the state government as also Trinamool have been paying their respects to him over the years.
"We had garlanded the bust of Mookerjee when BJP was not in the picture. Our party leaders have been paying respect to him over the years and we have been paying respect to great personalities of India," he said.
Asked whether there is any politics behind the government's decision, Chattopadhyay said: "There is no politics in paying respect to Mookerjee who is a great son of Bengal. This is our duty to pay honour to him."
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) saw the government's decision as yet another instance of the "collusion" between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
