West Bengal: BJP reported arrests of agents and police interference during counting

On June 3, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arjun Singh took to X, previously known as Twitter, to allege that West Bengal Police had arrested two counting agents, Prem Kumar Bansfore and Santanu Ganguly. He claimed that the arrests were made on “flimsy grounds” and were an attempt to prevent the agents from reaching the counting centre. Singh also criticised West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her government and police of showing no respect for the SC community, as Bansfore belongs to this community. He called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to investigate the arrests and take necessary action against the police.

In the post, he said, “As I had apprehended, on the instructions of the Trinamool Congress leadership, West Bengal police is working nakedly. Gayespur Out Post has arrested our two counting agents namely Prem Kumar Bansfore and Santanu Ganguly on flimsy grounds only to stop them from reaching the counting centre. Prem Kumar Bansfore belongs to the SC community but Mamata Banerjee govt and her Police have no respect for this community as we are witnessing in Sandeshkhali each day. I request ECI to inquire into the arrest of our counting agents and take the necessary action against the police officials working as a stooge of the TMC.”

BJP’s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya reacted to Singh’s post, stating that West Bengal had become a “police state” under Banerjee’s rule. He alleged widespread intimidation and unlawful arrests of BJP’s counting agents across the state. Malviya emphasised that such actions would not stop the party, as the people of Bengal were with the BJP.

In another post, Singh accused the Commissioner of Barrackpore Police of conspiring to obstruct and harass BJP Bengal’s counting agents on their way to counting centers under the guise of Naka Checking. He urged the ECI to take action in this matter as well.

Earlier on June 2, Singh had written to the ECI, claiming that Banerjee had instructed the DG of WB police to use its personnel to influence the counting process in favour of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He requested the ECI to ensure that WB police personnel were not allowed in the counting premises to prevent any such conspiracy.

He wrote, “From reliable sources, it has come to our knowledge that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed the DG of WB Police to use its police personnel and influence the counting process in favour of TMC in 15- Barrackpore PC and 14- Bangaon PC. I request the ECI to ensure that the personnel of WB Police are not allowed in the counting premises to foil such a conspiracy and the huge deployment of the Central Police Force is done in the counting premises and outside the counting centres.”

For the first time, the Election Commission of India (ECI) deployed central forces in West Bengal after the polling was completed, due to intelligence reports suggesting possible violence at various locations during the counting. Approximately 40,000 personnel will remain in the TMC-ruled state until June 19, 2024, two weeks after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results.