Horrific Violence By Trinamool Musclemen Brings Curtains Down On Nomination Process Of Bengal Panchayat Polls

Attacks on and killing of Opposition functionaries and supporters, hurling of bombs and use of firearms, threats and intimidation, all by alleged Trinamool Congress workers, brought the curtains down on the last day of filing nominations for the panchayat elections slated for July 8. 

At least four people, all Opposition activists, are reported to have been killed since the start of the nomination process since Friday last (June 9). 

The Opposition has alleged that thousands of their candidates were prevented from filing their nomination papers by Trinamool workers. Trinamool cadres are also alleged to have threatened many Opposition candidates and warned Opposition supporters and activists from canvassing. 

The state police remained mute spectators to the mayhem unleashed by armed Trinamool workers in various parts of the state. BJP, Congress and CPI(M) leaders alleged that the police acted as handmaidens of the Trinamool Congress and failed to prevent violence. 

Responding to petitions by Opposition parties, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Uday Kumar directed the State Election Commission (SEC) Thursday (June 15) evening to requisition central forces for all districts of the state within 48 hours. 

The SEC and the state government had expressed reluctance to requisition central forces and told the High Court that police forces from Punjab, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Odisha (all Opposition-ruled states) are being requisitioned. 

Allegations Against State Election Commission

Opposition leaders cried foul as soon as state election commissioner Rajiva Sinha (a former chief secretary widely known to be very close to Mamata Banerjee) announced the panchayat poll schedule last Thursday (June 8). 

Sinha’s name for the state election commissioner’s post was cleared by Governor C V Ananda Bose on Wednesday (June 7). Sinha announced the poll schedule the very next day. 

What infuriated Opposition parties was the extremely short notice given to them to file nominations, Sinha announced that the nomination process would start on Friday (June 9) and end on June 15, with Saturday and Sunday (June 10 & 11) being holidays. 

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikary termed it a “murder of democracy” while CPI(M) and Congress leaders accused Sinha of acting at the behest of the Trinamool Congress. 

What also irked the Opposition was Sinha’s refusal to deploy central forces for the polls and his declaration that no polling stations in the state are ‘sensitive’. 

BJP leader Adhikary and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had filed separate petitions before the High Court seeking an extension of the last date for filing nominations, deployment of central forces and filing nominations online. 

While the High court refused to interfere in the election process and extend the deadline for filing nominations, it directed the SEC to install CCTV cameras in all polling stations.

The Violence:

The start of the nomination process last Friday (June 9) was marked by the killing of a Congress worker in Murshidabad, allegedly by Trinamool goons. 

Since then, violence has continued unabated with alleged Trinamool Congress workers hurling bombs at Opposition workers and supporters and even firing at them, preventing Opposition candidates from going to file their nomination papers, going to houses of Opposition activists and threatening them, and creating a climate of fear. 

Trinamool Congress goons attacked BJP, Congress, CPI(M) and Indian Secular Front (ISF) activists and supporters in South 24 Parganas, Bankura, Birbhum, North Dinajpur, Malda and many other districts. 

Despite numerous complaints by Opposition leaders and workers, the state police are alleged to have refused to intervene and take action against marauding Trinamool cadres. 

So far, four Opposition activists and supporters have been killed by Trinamool goons. But this is just the beginning and violence is expected to peak on the eve of and on polling day (July 8). 

Opposition leaders fear that the panchayat polls this time will be a repeat, maybe even worse, than the 2018 panchayat polls when more than 30 Opposition, primarily BJP, workers and supporters were killed.

The Trinamool Congress leadership has refused to acknowledge attacks on Opposition workers and has argued that the violence is being orchestrated by Opposition parties to defame Bengal.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek had repeatedly promised that this time, panchayat polls will be peaceful.