Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 7 : BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Thursday strongly criticised the previous West Bengal government and the police administration following the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, alleging that BJP workers were being targeted in the state.
Reacting to the killing of Rath near Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district, Ghosh questioned the functioning of law and order machinery in West Bengal and accused the police of remaining inactive despite repeated incidents of political violence.
"The very same people who engaged in violence in the past are doing so again; our party workers are being killed. The police remain as passive as ever--sitting idly... The police are not active; had they been active, none of this would have occurred... The police need to step up and perform their duty as they are meant to," Ghosh told reporters.
Chandranath Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel who had been serving as Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant, was shot dead near Madhyamgram on Wednesday night. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The West Bengal Police have intensified their investigation into the case. Forensic teams examined the crime scene, while the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been questioning local leads as part of the probe. Senior officials, including the Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), also visited the site earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has demanded a court-monitored CBI investigation into the incident, calling for an impartial and thorough inquiry.
Reacting to the incident earlier, Suvendu Adhikari termed it a "premeditated murder," alleging that Rath was targeted due to his proximity to him and his win against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. He claimed, "This was a planned operation. A recce was conducted for several days, and the victim was followed before being shot at close range."
Meanwhile, Ghosh also launched a sharp political attack on Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, questioning his today's statements on democracy and elections in West Bengal.
Speaking to reporters, Ghosh said, "Did democracy ever truly exist in Bengal? Why was such a massive force summoned? Why does Mamata Banerjee repeatedly rush to the courts? Akhilesh Yadav has visited before--he left only after defeating Mamata Banerjee--and what is even left now?"
His remarks come against the backdrop of Akhilesh Yadav's earlier comments during his political outreach in West Bengal, where he had alleged misuse of central forces and voter suppression during elections.
Akhilesh had said, "The way they insulted democracy and Didi (Mamata Banerjee), due to which her voters were not allowed to vote. This responsibility lies with the central forces," adding, "This is the biggest murder of democracy."
In the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, the BJP won 207 seats, whereas the TMC, which has been in power in West Bengal for the past 15 years, won 80 seats.