In the wake of violence between BJP and TMC workers in Kolkata, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday ordered campaigning in nine parliamentary constituencies of West Bengal to end at 10 PM on Thursday (May 16), a day before its scheduled deadline.

The nine parliamentary constituencies are Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, South and North Kolkata.

The ECI has invoked Article 324 of the constitution to curtail the campaigning for the last phase of the election on May 19. The ECI also ordered the removal of Principal Secretary (Home) and Additional Director General, CID from their postings in West Bengal.

"The commission is deeply anguished at the vandalism done to the statue of Vidyasagar. It is hoped that the vandals are traced by the state administration," Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar said.

On Tuesday, BJP and TMC supporters clashed on the streets of Kolkata during a massive roadshow of BJP chief Amit Shah who had to cut short the event mid-way due to the violence.

The violence apparently began after suspected TMC supporters hurled stones at the BJP convoy from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College. Furious BJP workers retaliated and during the clash, a bust of the polymath and philosopher inside the campus was damaged.

Shah, at a press conference in New Delhi, alleged that Mamata Banerjee's TMC was involved in vandalising Vidyasagar's bust and unleashing violence during his roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday as part of a "conspiracy" to blame the BJP.

On its part, the TMC released videos to claim that "BJP goons" damaged the statue and "hurt Bengali pride". The Mamata Banerjee-led party alleged the videos not only establish what the BJP did, but proved that Shah is a "liar" and a "dhokebaaz" (betrayer).

The Congress and the CPI(M) too targeted the BJP over the damage to the bust at Vidyasagar College, which was on the route of Shah's rally. A Trinamool Parliamentary team comprising Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Manish Gupta, Nadimul Haque met the Election Commission over the issue and submitted what they called "proof" against the BJP.

Condemning the violence, the Congress accused Narendra Modi-Shah duo of promoting "mobocracy" in the country and damaging the cultural identity of the states.

(With inputs from PTI)

First Published:May 15, 2019 7:56 PM IST