Sandeshkhali, in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has been in the news recently over rank criminal acts of local leaders of the ruling political party, Trinamool Congress or TMC. The politicians have come into adverse public glare over allegations of land grabbing, sexual assault and exploitation. The matter has become so serious that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent a strong message to the leaders of TMC, warning them against the loss of popular support in the light of the gory incidents of Sandeshkhali. Thus, with the 2024 general elections at hand, TMC has, while attempting to retrieve the situation, virtually admitted to the grave wrongdoing by its members in Sandeshkhali.
What one fails to understand is why some of our regional politicians are so conceited, insincere, and short-sighted. They swear by the interests of the electorate before the state elections, win their support, and come to power and in no time not just forget the hallowed promises made to the general voters but start turning Nelson’s eye to vandalism, vindictiveness, exploitation and cruel, vulture-like behaviour.
Politics is for uplifting the people, not to exploit them. Politics is for serving the people, not to oppress them. Politics is for the enrichment of the people, not to plunder them. But what we are witnessing in Sandeshkhali is nothing but the blatant, baneful abuse of power against the very masses that brought the perpetrators of such abuse to power. We have still not forgotten the harrowing accounts of BJP workers who were the victims of criminal violence by TMC members during State and Lok Sabha election times in the past.
What is more surprising is that with law enforcing agencies like CRPF, Territorial Army and other institutional State forces at its command, why the Union Government has remained largely a mute spectator to such gory and gruesome acts by TMC goons. The Union Government has been overly circumspect in dealing with these situations in the State of West Bengal. Imposition of the President’s rule was a viable option in the past for handling the situations successfully. But this was not done.
One recalls the words of wisdom penned down by the sage strategist Chanakya nearly 2500 years back in time. He stated that Dharma was paramount in governance and statecraft. Vote bank politics is important to all political parties in the multi-party system of democracy practised today, but it should not be pursued at the expense of Dharma, which means the welfare of all and the exploitation of none. Laws of the land that protect the life, property, and dignity of the common citizen must be followed strictly and scrupulously. If political expediency comes in the way of such following, nothing could be more unfortunate.
The best course of action even today to quell the violence and mayhem observed in West Bengal by the depraved political persons is the imposition of the President’s rule in the State. This will serve to calm down the turbulent situation and also serve to earn the empathy of lower and upper sections of the State citizenry alike, thus bringing in their support as well as votes in the ensuing general elections.
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