Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS): Terming the ongoing violent political clashes in Bengal over the formation of Panchayat boards as "unfortunate", Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said right to dissent and oppose is part of democracy.

"There should be free and fair polls in the democracy. Continued violence and killing of activists of opposition parties is unfortunate. Many candidates of opposition parties in Bengal were not allowed to file nominations in the panchayat elections," Prasad said here.

A three-year-old child sustained a bullet injury in his head in Malda district on Thursday and three persons were killed and at least 15 injured in armed clashes between groups allegedly belonging to the Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist in North 24 Parganas district's Amdanga block late on Tuesday night.

"There is right to dissent, right to oppose in the democracy. People who oppose the ruling party have the right to file nomination. It was also unfortunate when supporters of an elected panchayat member were killed," he added.