In a tragic turn of events during the recently concluded panchayat elections in West Bengal, violence erupted, resulting in the loss of 15 lives and widespread destruction. Senior leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) expressed deep shame and called for an end to the prevailing culture of political violence. Shockingly, 11 of the deceased individuals were affiliated with the TMC itself.
Senior TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, a former police officer, expressed his disappointment, saying, "As a Bengali, I hang my head in shame, and everybody else should also be ashamed that even in 2023, we could not stop this culture of violence. We should introspect why we cannot shun this culture. We don't witness so much violence in any other place."
The violence and clashes during the panchayat polls have been a cause of concern in West Bengal for some time. Since the announcement of the election date early last month, a total of 33 lives were lost due to political clashes. Similar incidents occurred in the 2018 and 2003 panchayat polls, claiming the lives of 30 and 76 individuals, respectively.
While TMC leaders denounced the violence, they also pointed fingers at the State Election Commission (SEC) for failing to ensure peaceful elections. Senior TMC MP Sougata Roy stated, "It would have been better if the elections were held in a peaceful atmosphere. Unfortunately, so many people were killed. It is the duty of the SEC to ensure that elections are held peacefully. The culture of political violence must end."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, dismissed the TMC's statements, labeling them as "late realizations" and accusing the TMC of mastering the very culture of violence they now condemn. BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya remarked, "Sougata Roy sometimes tries to act like an inner voice of the TMC but unfortunately, his views have no takers in his party. These are nothing but crocodile tears. The CPI(M) had brought this culture of politics in Bengal, and the TMC had mastered it."
The violent incidents during the panchayat polls have triggered a war of words between political parties. The Opposition, led by Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition, has demanded a thorough investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigating Agency (NIA) into the violence. In contrast, the TMC has accused the opposition of instigating the skirmishes and expressed confidence in emerging victorious in the poll results, set to be counted on Tuesday.
The underlying reasons for the escalation of violence in Bengal's Panchayat polls can be traced back to the tensions that emerged when the state government announced the election dates. The Opposition, including the BJP, the Left, and the Congress, opposed the announcement, alleging insufficient time for filing nominations by 60,000 candidates. This opposition led to a series of violent incidents across the state.
The TMC, while denying the allegations, instructed its party workers to ensure violence-free elections. However, clashes continued to occur, even on the day of voting. With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approaching, the Panchayat polls serve as a crucial test for major political camps in West Bengal, including the TMC, BJP, and Left-Congress alliance. After the TMC's resounding victory in the 2021 Assembly Elections, these polls will provide an important indicator of the prevailing political winds in the state, considering the recent corruption allegations against the ruling party.
