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Fresh violence in Bengal over panchayat polls
The nomination process for the single-phase polls began on June 9 and has been marked by clashes between workers of different parties
Fresh violence broke out in parts of West Bengal on Wednesday over filing of nominations for the upcoming panchayat elections, prompting police to use force to disperse mobs, officials said.
Crude bombs were hurled as supporters of political parties allegedly prevented one another from filing their papers. At least eight people were detained in Bankura district after two bags containing bombs were recovered from the vehicle they were travelling in, the officials said.
The nomination process for the single-phase polls – to be held on July 8 – began on June 9 and has been marked by clashes between workers of different parties. A Congress worker was shot dead in Murshidabad district on the first day of submitting papers. The Opposition has blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the clashes.
The Calcutta high court on Tuesday had ordered deployment of central paramilitary forces in seven sensitive districts and other areas witnessing law-and-order problems but refused to defer the polls or extend the date of nominations. The nomination process is scheduled to end on Thursday. The high court order came on separate petitions by the Bharatiya Janata (BJP) and Congress.
On Wednesday, workers belonging to the TMC and Indian Secular Front clashed at Bhangore area in South 24 Parganas, near Kolkata. Police said crude bombs were hurled and police vehicles were damaged as supporters of the two parties allegedly tried to stop each other from filing nominations. It was not until a huge contingent of force, including SN Gupta additional directorate general of police (ADGP), South Bengal, rushed to the spot and resorted to baton charge that the situation was brought under control, police said.
“The situation is under control. An investigation is underway and raids are being carried out,” a police officer said, wishing not to be named.
Both the ISF and TMC said they were attacked first.
“If you can show one video of ISF workers attacking anybody, I will take full responsibility. They (TMC) brought in outsiders to unleash terror. Crude bombs were hurled so that our candidates do not go out to file nominations. When our men braved all odds, they were stopped by the police from reaching the BDO’s (block development officer) office,” ISF leader Nawsad Siddique said.
Siddique said he tried to meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat on Wednesday but could not “since she was busy”.
Countering Siddique’s claim, TMC leader Shahjahan Mollah said: “TMC workers were not carrying any arms. They were just carrying flags. No one was attacked. But if someone attacks us, we have the right to defend.”
Police officials said two factions of the TMC clashed with one another at Canning in South 24 Parganas.
In Indas area of Bankura, BJP workers clashed with TMC supporters outside the nomination filing center. The two sides pelted stones at one another even as police tried to control the situation, officials said.
Police also said that two bags containing bombs were recovered from a vehicle during checking in Bankura’s Ahmadpur town. “Eight people were detained in connection with the matter,” Bishnupur deputy superintendent of police Qutubuddin Khan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Later in the day, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar and leader of opposition in the Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, visited the State Election Commission’s (SEC) office, alleging their candidates were unable to file their nominations.
“We will move the high court on Thursday. The SEC is behaving in a biased manner. None of the orders of the high court are being carried out,” Majumdar said.
In a tweet, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said: “Let’s not forget that @BJP4Bengal, filed a whopping 20,516 nominations as on June 12, 2023. So much for not being able to file nominations! Instead of ensuring a level playing field for all candidates and addressing people’s genuine concerns, LoP @SuvenduWB, well aware of BJP’s poor prospects in the Panchayat elections, has resorted to spreading misinformation and rumour mongering.”
Ghosh continued: “His baseless (Adhikari) accusations about law and order in West Bengal are nothing but a desperate attempt to discredit the state government. It’s clear that Mr. Adhikari is afraid of facing the truth – people’s unanimous rejection of his party’s divisive politics.”
The last panchayat polls in 2018 witnessed large-scale violence and around 20 murders with opposition parties alleging that their candidates were not allowed to file nominations and intimidated. The TMC bagged around 90% seats, of which 34% were uncontested.
(With inputs from agencies)
