Systemic neglect of peace & order in West Bengal

Lawlessness has become a synonym for West Bengal once again. It was no different during the Congress rule in the 70s, too. Similarly, things did not improve much on the law and order front under the CPI (M) rule. Now it is the AITMC that is ruling and violence has only doubled. The Congress rule had to contend with the Naxal movement. In the process of containing it, the Congress leaders only unleashed a hitherto unheard of repression. Youth of the universities were the main target here.

Next was the turn of the Leftists and violence continued unabated here and the ruling party cadres cornered all benefits depriving not only the opposition but all those who did not agree with them of succour. By that time, the Congress weakened further with Mamata Benerjee forming her own TMC and she instantly took to the streets to counter the CPI (M) rule. Nandigram witnessed the peaks when The Trinamool Congress, collaborating with the Maoists, had isolated the entire area from the rest of the country, by cutting up all the roads and blocking them by tree trunks protesting against a Tata car plant. The villagers were brainwashed against the government and the progressive scheme. However, the shootings proved to be a conspiracy of the TMC and Maoists alike. Indeed, the police had to resort to firing when the armed mob refused to disperse even after much persuasion and tear gassing and started attacking the police. The then Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, was awarded a clean-chit for non-involvement in the Nandigram violence by the CBI.

That is in a nutshell the violent story of West Bengal where people have been used by the ruling classes as pawns in their games. Now-a-days, the TMC has gone a step ahead and began attacking the opponents on a daily basis, the Opposition alleges. Cult politics have reached a frenzy, one could say, and there is an internal fight, too, among the local leaders to gain control over their areas. Last months' attack in Rampurhat in Birbhum district on a family by TMC goons in retaliation to the killing of a local strongman of the party and the muted reaction of the government proves that all is not well.

Now comes the rape and murder of a teenager by a TMC leader's son and his friends in a filmy style and here is the CM who questions the claims of the victim's family and the Opposition. She castigates the character of the victim and goes on to add that "she was pregnant and there was a gap of five days in approaching the police." Does she plan to absolve the guilty just because they belong to her party? Have you ever come across any Chief Minister who takes such a stand in the face of criticism?

Of late, advocates of the High Court who belong to the TMC started protesting against a justice because he ordered a CBI inquiry against a scam by a Minister. They tried to prevent the process of justice itself by blocking the passage of lawyers to the court hall being presided over by the judge. This is also being justified by the TMC leadership. Yet, Mamata talks of democratic rights! And every questioning voice is that of a 'Maobadi' for her.