Democracy is safe and secure in WestBengal, it is proclaimed from the rooftop by TMC leaders as if the state is anisland of peace surrounded by sea of anarchy unleashed by the BJP. Let us seehow safe and secure it is. Even some of the most ardent supporters of Didi arenow aghast at the kind of lawlessness witnessed before, during and after therecent Panchayat elections in the state. The situation would not have been sobad but for the virtual abdication of responsibility by the administration withthe state election commission, a constitutional body, as well as the police,the protector of law and order, being virtually at the beck and call of thepowers-that-be.
The spurt in violence surrounding recentPanchayat elections in the state had several interesting features. First,unlike previous such occasions, the violence had started much before the day ofthe elections, right from the time of filing of nominations with the result theopposition candidates particularly those belonging to the BJP and the CPI-Mcould not file nominations in more than 34 per cent (unofficially 40 per centas at many places TMC put up dummy candidates to spoil the prospects of theopposition parties or TMC’s rival factions put up their own candidates) of the58,692 seats—to be precise, TMC candidates were elected unopposed in about 34.6per cent of the seats in Gram Panchayats (16,814 out of a total of 48,650),33.2 per cent in Panchayat Samitis (3059 out of 9217) and 24.6 per cent inZilla Parishads (203 out of 825). The whole election process thus was derailedby violence, intimidation and the consequent legal challenges. The electionscould be held only after the court intervention.
Ever since the Panchayat elections began inWest Bengal in 1978, there have been two instances of the percentage ofuncontested seats going into double digits–11 per cent in 2003 (under the LeftFront rule) and 10.66 per cent in 2013 (under the TMC rule). It means thenumber of uncontested seats this time was more than three times the previoushigh. What was the trigger? Prior to the announcement of election dates, theTMC supremo had issued the fatwa that 100 per cent Panchayat seats must go tothe ruling party, followed by a similar diktat also from her nephew. Themessage thus was loud and clear to the party cadre at the ground—stop theOpposition, particularly the BJP by all means.
No wonder, there was no letup in violenceeven on the election day with more than 40 reported deaths. The scenariodegenerated into a mockery of democracy as political goons began to jam booths,drive out election observers and loot ballot boxes. Miscreants were seenbreaking open sealed ballot boxes in full public view and setting the ballotpapers on fire or dumping them in local ponds. Re-polling was ordered in 568booths across the state. The picture in the aftermath of the election too wasno different. All in the name of democracy.
Was all this really needed? That the TMCwould not face serious challenges was a foregone conclusion. It did not have toresort to this kind of widespread violence. But the party supremo perhaps wasnot so sure. That her fear was not entirely unfounded became clear once theelection results started pouring in. Despite violence and intimidation, the BJPsignificantly stepped up its vote share. In tribal areas particularly, BJP’sperformance was impressive and TMC’s poor.
What created stir across the country is themurder of two BJP workers, both from Scheduled Caste, within a gap of threedays in the first week of June in Purulia District. While 20-year old TrilochanMahato was found hanging from a tree, the 32-year old Dulal Kumar from a hightension electric line. It is alleged that both were killed by the TMC goons.The police, as expected, brushed aside the allegation saying the deaths werecaused by suicides, something not acceptable to the respective families,friends and the party workers. There is a reason for their refusal to acceptthe police version. Interestingly, there has been no protest march, no candlelight processions and outpouring of grief over the murder of Scheduled Castepersons by so-called left intellectuals and seculars and other champions ofdemocracy presumably because the victims, though from Scheduled Caste, belongedto the BJP.
Mamata’s writ does not seem to runeverywhere in the state, say some political observers. She might be losing hergrip over the lower levels in her party machinery where the lack oforganisational control is showing up. Rampant factionalism is tearing the partyapart in many areas. The local chieftains rule the roost and fish in the muddy waterseven as various factions under the same party banner are at loggerheads. Thejump in intra-party violence with one faction pitted against the other has ledto murder of party workers and supporters.
When one can do little to curb intra-partyfeuds, one does what one is best at. One comes down heavily on the localadministration. The state government too has transferred District Magistratesand Superintendents of Police and other officials from areas where the partyhas suffered defeat in the hands of the BJP, or where the performance of theBJP has been much better than before. The message is clear: the administrationmust help the ruling party win the elections; else must face punishment ofposting. Even the Ministers have not been spared. Churamoni Mahato and JamesKujur, who were Ministers in charge of backward class development and tribalwelfare, have been stripped off their portfolios on the ground of party’s poorshow in tribal areas, particularly in Alipurduar and Jhargram, the districtsfrom where Kujur and Mahato were elected respectively in last Assemblyelections.
Ever since the beginning of the processentailing the decline of the CPI-M and the rise of the TMC, the goons andanti-social elements who flourished under the tutelage of the Marxist partychanged their loyalty and switched over to the TMC, then new rising star, obviously forprotection. TMC too welcomed them withopen arms because it felt that their‘services’ would be critical to retain power. The arrangement, which has so far workedsmoothly, it now appears, is creaking under the burden of its owncontradictions.
The political watchers are haunted by somequestions. Is not Mamata, the self-styled Messiah of democracy, disregardingthe basic principle of democracy by not allowing Opposition to take part in theelections? Will her no-holds-barred strategy adopted in the Panchayat electionsstand her in good stead also in the 2019 Parliamentary elections or run therisk of damaging the party itself? Will it not boomerang on her and her party?
The Price of Being a BJP Worker!
TMC goons brutally murdered 18-year-old BJPleader in Balarampur, Purulia District. The victim, Trilochan Mahato, waskidnapped by the TMC goons on May 29. His body was later found hanging from atree on May 30 with a poster stuck on his back stating that it was a punishmentfor being a BJP worker. According to media reports, the handwritten poster, inBengali, stuck on his body reads, “This is for doing BJP politics from age18. Been trying to kill you since the vote. Failed. Today you are dead.” The local police have filed an FIR andare investigating the case.
Reacting to the gruesome murder, BJPnational president Amit Shah expressed condolence in a tweet and said,”Deeply hurt by the brutal killing of our young karyakarta, TrilochanMahato in Balarampur, West Bengal. A young life full of possibilities wasbrutally taken out under state’s patronage. He was hanged on a tree justbecause his ideology differed from those of state-sponsored goons. The presentTMC govt in West Bengal has surpassed the violent legacy of Communist rule.Entire BJP mourns this tragic loss and stands firmly with Trilochan Mahato’sfamily in this hour of grief. His sacrifice for organisation and ideology willnot go in vain. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.”
Union Minister and BJP MP from Asansol,Babul Supriyo lashed out at the TMC and compared West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee with Adolf Hitler. “A life was lost at such a ripe age.What was his fault? Just that he supported BJP. Madam”s activities resemblesomewhat to that of Hitler. My condolences to the family of Trilochan Mahatowho was killed by Trinamool”s goon army. #TMChhi,” he said in a tweet. TheBJP has demanded a CBI probe into the gruesome murder of Trilochan.
The party also alleged that the murder wasan outcome of the TMC insecurity after the BJP did well in the Panchayatelections.
Another BJP Worker Killed
Three days after the brutal murder ofTrilochan Mahato in Purulia, the TMC goons murdered another BJP worker in Dabhavillage of the same District. Dulal Kumar (30) was found hanging from anelectric tower on June 2. He was abducted on the night of June 1. His familyalso alleged that the TMC goons killed Dulal Kumar and they dismissed anypossibility of suicide. “We started looking for him around 9.00 pm. When Icalled on his mobile phone, he picked up and disconnected the call,” saidRoopchand Kumar, Dulal”s cousin. Reacting to the incident, the BJP generalsecretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, tweeted that Dulal’s murder is quite similar tothat of Trilochan Mahato.
Elected candidates seek asylum in Delhi
Over 100 BJP workers from West Bengal,including women, who were elected in recent Panchayat polls, reached Delhi andsought asylum at the residence of the BJP leader Mukul Roy. On May 31, theytook to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and handed over a petitionagainst large-scale violence and atrocities of the ruling party. The victims,while speaking to Organiser, said the TMC goons threatened them to leave theBJP and join the TMC. The TMC local leadership also issued diktat demanding afine of Rs 50,000 from each winning candidate of the BJP for contesting againstthe TMC.
Ganesh Singh, a BJP candidate from PuruliaDistrict, said the situation in West Bengal is worse than ever. He said he hadwon by 550 votes in the election by defeating TMC’s Anathbandhu Maji. “Butlater on the TMC candidate was declared the winner,” he lamented. “Agroup of TMC workers had approached me and ordered me to sign some papers soonafter the declaration of results. But, I refused to do so,” he added. Awinning female candidate of the BJP, Mamata, said the TMC goons attacked herfamily members for contesting the election. “With folded hands, we request tothe Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we want justice,” she said. The displacedBJP workers, along with their families, have been camping in the premises ofMukul Roy”s South Avenue residence for the last two weeks. Bharatiya JanataYuva Morcha leader Digvijay Singh said the workers are afraid of going back toWest Bengal.
Talking to Organiser, the BJP nationalgeneral secretary Kailash Vijayvargiyasaid they have handed over the NHRC all evidences pertaining to the
rampant violence unleashed by the TMCduring Panchayat elections. Around 67 murders took place during the polls.During the polls, the TMC goons roamed around in police vehicles and attackedthe BJP workers. He said the BJP has submitted evidences, including photos of TMC violence to both the ElectionCommission and NHRC.
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