Violence proves a constancy of Bengal polls

Bengal and violence have been synonyms for a long time. The State’s ‘Bhadralok’ might disagree but ordinary mortals see nothing wrong in admitting it. Mob lynchings, killings for even minor offences and political eliminations etc., have been the in-thing here. It won’t be an exaggeration to say so.

But why does Mamata allow these things despite facing the most violent attacks on her party, cadres and herself in the past? Why can’t she be any different? Is power and pelf above everything in one’s quest for fame? The just concluded panchayat elections in Bengal have seen the ruling TMC snatch victories in more than 30,000 gram panchayats and the BJP in more than 9,000. The CPM won nearly 3,000 and the Congress won about 2,500. This is what the SEC says.

It was a foregone conclusion that the TMC would bag the majority as it spares no effort in neutralising the opponent contest using a deadly concoction of religion and violence. Earlier, it was the Congress which did so in the beginning and later the CPM. Each believed in improving upon the other’s methods. Mamata has only perfected the art. She is known to divide people along the lines of language and region, too. That is why we often hear her talking of ‘the outsiders’. However, this time around, Mamata too got a taste of brutal force.

The non-TMC parties, too, followed Didi’s footsteps and the result could be seen in the deaths of some TMc workers too in the 20-odd killings that have taken place in the last one month. Tense situation prevailed in the South 24 Parganas and the North 24 Parganas. TMC workers burnt several homes here and prevented people from voting.

Of course, the Congress alleges that the BJP and the TMC have an understanding and hence the Central forces had been sent very late. Didi anyway does not agree with all this. She only blames ‘Mr Prime Minister, Busy Prime Minister’ as usual. The ruling party is refusing to take the blame or responsibility. Whatever, the fact that Bengal is topping the list of political violence and the resultant deaths cannot be disputed. Repolling has been ordered in more than 700 polling booths. During the 2019 elections more than 50 people died in post-poll violence according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

Violence is a constant companion in Bengal politics and it only increases with only every change in power equations. Earlier, we had also seen what is known as the 1946 Calcutta Killings, it was a day of nationwide communal riots. It led to large-scale violence between Muslims and Hindus in the city of Calcutta in the Bengal province of British India. The day also marked the start of what is known as The Week of the Long Knives. The other word for it is ‘Hindu genocide’. Then followed Naxalbari movement and the retaliation. This apart, much ahead Bengali revolutionaries picked up weapons against the British. Call it ‘radical intellectualism’.

But why the violence in panchayat elections? Well, since the Communist days, all goods and services had been directed through the panchayats to reach the rural populace. It continues even now. He who controls panchayats, controls the voters. Today it is Mamata, but it could be the BJP next. Violence has a cycle and no one party remains forever in power. Meanwhile, poor Bengalis pay with their lives for nurturing such leaders out of fear or love.