New Delhi: Apart from the top leaders and high-profile guests that included foreign dignitaries, Bollywood actors etc., Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony was also attended by family members of the BJP workers allegedly killed in political violence in West Bengal and kins of the soldiers killed in Pulwama terror attack.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday declined to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Modi on Thursday objecting to the families of BJP workers, allegedly killed in political violence in the state, being invited to the function.
In what can be seen as a stern message to Banerjee, family members of BJP workers allegedly killed during political violence were invited. The development comes days after the BJP made deep inroads into the TMC-ruled state winning 18 out of the 42 parliamentary seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. Banerjee’s party bagged 22 seats.
The Pulwama terror attack was the trigger for the Modi government to carry out the Balakot airstrike on February 26, which set the narrative that the government is decisive to crack down on terror, even across the border. Family members of Sudip Biswas, one of the CRPF jawans who lost his life in Pulwama terror attack on February 14 attended the swearing-in ceremony.
At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Awantipora area of Pulwama district in an attack orchestrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The convoy of 78 buses, in which around 2,500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, came under attack at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora on February 14.
