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Sporadic violence reported in pockets of West Bengal; Sandeshkhali remains tense
Elections have already been held in 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in four phases. Polling in the remaining 24 seats would be held in three more phases
Kolkata: Isolated incidents of violence were reported from some pockets of West Bengal amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections even as tension remained palpable in Sandeshkhali, where fresh clashes had erupted over the weekend.
There were reports of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashing in various parts of the state.
In East Midnapore district’s Kanthi Lok Sabha constituency, a BJP worker was attacked allegedly by TMC-backed goons at his house late on Tuesday night, and his right ear was chopped off.
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Local TMC leaders have rubbished the allegations, claiming that it could be the result of BJP’s factional feuds. Police have registered a case but are yet to arrest anyone.
Clashes were also reported from Bhangar in South 24 Parganas, which comes under Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat. A clash broke out between TMC and Indian Secular Front workers on Tuesday in which some people were injured.
At Bolpur in Birbhum district, where elections were held on May 13 in the fourth phase, a BJP polling agent’s house was set on fire in the early hours of Wednesday. A 42-year-old TMC worker, Mintu Sheikh, was killed on the night before the fourth phase of polling.
Last week, several party workers were injured in Malda following clashes between the TMC and Congress. Bombs were hurled in Malda’s Ratua and Manikchak.
Elections have already been held in 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in four phases. Polling in the remaining 24 seats would be held in three more phases.
The state has witnessed massive poll-related violence every time elections are held. A Union home ministry report in 2021 claimed that at least 693 incidents of violence and 11 deaths were reported during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal.
The Calcutta high court had in August 2021 ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into the allegations of murder and rape, which allegedly took place across West Bengal after the results of the 2021 assembly polls were declared.
In 2021, a report submitted by an enquiry committee set up by the National Human Rights Commission claimed that there were at least 29 allegations of murder and 12 allegations rape and sexual assault.
This year, however, the election process has been by and large peaceful, with no reports of any major untoward incident.
Meanwhile, tension was palpable at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas where clashes broke out over the weekend. Sandeshkhali falls under the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency which goes into polls on June 1 in the last phase.
The riverine island hit the headlines in February this year when village women staged violent protests over allegations of sexual assault and land grabbing while demanding the arrest of local TMC strongman Sheikh Shajahan and his aides. The BJP made it a key poll plank this year.
On May 4, however, the TMC released a purported sting video in which a local BJOP leader could be allegedly seen saying that BJP had paid money to village women to lodge false complaints of rape.
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On May 12 village women led by BJP candidate Rekha Patra attacked a TMC worker with allegations of making fake videos to malign village women. Police arrested four persons. Fresh clashes broke out when TMC workers allegedly tore a poster of a BJP leader. Village women blocked roads with burning tyres.
On Wednesday, BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal, an advocate in the Calcutta high court, reached Sandeshkhali to speak with the victims and provide them with legal assistance. Tibrewal has already sent a letter to the CBI, which is probing into allegations of sexual assault in Sandeshkhali after allegations surfaced that TMC goons were threatening village women to withdraw the complaints.
“Through Sandeshkhali conspiracy, the BJP has insulted our mothers and sisters. They are getting arrogant with each passing day. Who gave them the right to insult women,” Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday while addressing a rally in Hooghly.
