The Polit Bureau of the
Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The elections to 91 municipalities
including two corporations in West Bengal held on April 25, 2015 constitute a
total mockery of democracy. In these and the election to the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation a week earlier, there was a high degree of people’s enthusiasm and
a large number of women turned out to cast their vote. However, these innocent
people were met with political workers and armed hooligans representing the
ruling party in the state, the Trinamool Congress, who denied them the right to
a free and fair election. Polling booths were captured, opposition parties
agents driven out and voting manipulated. A small contingent of central forces
sent on the eve of the election were not deployed by the state government and
instead sent for sightseeing. This is a blot on Indian democracy.
In various parts of the state there
was widespread people’s resistance against such display of muscle power and
manipulation of the democratic process. Many were injured and some are critical
and are admitted to various hospitals in the state.
The CPI(M) calls upon the people of
West Bengal who have a tradition of fighting against such authoritarian terror
and who established a record of restoring democracy through people’s struggles
to resist such attacks on democracy by the Trinamool Congress in the state.
A large number of intellectuals and
people who had served in high constitutional positions in the country in the
past have come together to form a Save Democracy Forum. Leading lights of the
movement were also denied their legal right to vote.
The Election Commission of India must
review these developments, though these fall under the purview of the State
Election Commission and the state government. This is necessary to learn
lessons and prepare for adequate arrangements when the state assembly elections
are held in 2016.
Date: Sunday, April 26, 2015
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