The ruling TMC in West Bengal has resorted to
full-fledged assault on democracy and rule of law as Panchayat elections have
started to become a farce. From the declaration of schedule to murderous
attacks on opposition candidates in the nomination process, this year’s
Panchayat elections have brought out the authoritarian character of TMC most
crudely.
The Chief Minister herself declared repeatedly that she
wanted ‘opposition-free Panchayats’. Her party leaders, including MP-s called
upon party activists to ensure that no opposition member gets elected. The
monstrous process has started.
Though the three tier Panchayat is a constitutional
arrangement, every democratic norm is being violated in West Bengal. To begin
with, Panchayat Elections were declared suddenly. In the All Party meeting,
held just two days before the announcement, the State Election Commissioner
refused to discuss probable dates and confessed that he was ‘totally dependent’
on the state administration. On 31st March, State Election Commission declared the
schedule. The three phase elections will be held on 1st, 3rd, 5th May. Nomination process
has started from 2nd April. It will continue up to 9th April. The nomination
process started with notification, virtually providing no time to opposition
parties to prepare. The total number of seats in panchayat is 58,692. Only
seven days are available for filing of nomination in such huge number of seats.
Though three-phase elections have been declared,
surprisingly the last date of nomination filing is same for all phases. The
schedule also clashed with ongoing Higher Secondary examinations in the state.
This will hinder campaign as microphones would not be used during this period.
The schedule also brought out nefarious design of the
ruling party. While 12 districts will go to polls on the first day, only two-
Birbhum and Murshidabad- will be in the second. These two districts have been
selected to intensify terror.
As soon as the process of collecting and filing of
nomination papers started on 2nd April, TMC armed gangs began to cordon Block Development
Offices (BDO), Sub Divisional Offices (SDO), and even District Magistrate’s
offices in some districts. The plan is simple: the ruling party will not allow
opposition to collect and submit nomination papers. This is a new method,
applied partially in 2013 in Birbhum and some other districts. This year it has
become the dominant feature throughout the state in first stage of
terror. The Right to contest in an election, a constitutional right,
has become endangered in what may be termed as ‘pre-election rigging’.
In Birbhum, TMC miscreants gathered in
numbers in Siuri, Rampurhat, Labhpur, Nanur, Ilambazar, Bolpur, Nalhati 2,
Murarai , Dubrajpur, Mohhamedbazar. They cordoned the offices and chased away
CPI(M), Left Front and other opposition activists who came to either collect or
submit nominations. In Rampurhat , CPI(M) member of Budhigram Panchayat Panai
Sheikh was brutally attacked. Sheikh is a disabled in his left hand from birth.
Despite that he was mercilessly beaten and was later admitted in hospital.
CPI(M) panchayat member Rana Let was mercilessly beaten in Rampurhat. CPI(M)
candidate Mitali Das was manhandled, her voter card and other documents
snatched, her husband beaten in Nalhati. TMC district President and infamous
muscleman Anubrata Mondal has boasted in front of media, “Whenever
opposition supporters will try to submit nomination they will see development
stands in front of them”. It was clear that he meant TMC armed gangs as
‘development’. On second and third day, TMC cadres openly exhibited swords,
knives in front of block offices. In Mayureswar-1 they virtually blocked the
entrance and CPI(M) candidate Sajjad Mirza was attacked.
In Rampurhat CPI(ML) candidate and secretary of Rampurhat
Bar Association Prodyot Mukherjee was severely beaten. In Siuri, BJP leader
Kalosona Mondal was stabbed in the vicinity of DM office. Presences of media
persons are banned in Birbhum block offices by the fatwa of TMC.
On 5th April, hundreds of people gathered in Nalhati in
Birbhum, determined to overcome attacks and file nominations. CPI(M) central
committee member Ramchandra Dome, state committee member Goutam Ghosh were
among those who led the march towards block office. TMC armed gangs threw bombs
and fired to disperse the rally. Ramchandra Dome , Goutam Ghosh were seriously
injured. CPI(M) activist Hiru Late was critically injured. Despite that, Left
Front candidates entered block office and submitted nominations.
On 2nd April, CPI(M) candidates from villages in Borjora
in Bankura district came to file their nomination in Block
office. TMC gangs attacked them injuring more than 30 persons including women.
CPI(M) district committee member Sujoy Chowdhury, Borjora Panchayet Samiti
member Sharif Mondal, and others were injured. Attacks continued in different
parts of Bankura. In Bankura town itself, no Left Front candidates were allowed
to enter in BDO office. In Hirbandh, CPI(M) activists were brutally beaten when
they entered in BDO office. Many of them were injured. However, local people
retaliated and chased away TMC miscreants. In Ranibandh, TMC miscreants
attacked CPI(M) activists. Later in a clash, a BJP candidate, Ajit Murmu was
killed. On 4th April,. TMC activists
and police jointly attacked CPI(M) candidates in Sonamukhi. Party MLA Ajit Roy
was injured. TMC gangs blocked roads in Indpur, Gangajalghati.
In East Midnapore, Left Front candidates were
attacked in Khejuri, Panskura, Sutahata. In Sutahata, CPI(M) MLA Tapashi Mondal
was attacked as she led Left Front candidates to block office. Nur Alam,
Sabhapati of Sutahata Panchayat Samiti was severely beaten.
In Burdwan East , block offices in
Galsi, Ketugram2, Katwa, Aushgram2, Raina1, Khandaghosh have been surrounded.
CPI(M) leaders and candidates were attacked.
In Burdwan West , TMc gangs have
cordoned block offices in Jamuria, Andal, Salanpur. In Jamuria, submission of nomination
was not allowed. CPI(M) candidates faced attack in Salanpur, Pandeveswar.
In South 24 Parganas, TMC organized attack in
Budge Budge-1, Budge Budge-2, Falta, Magrahat-2, Diamond Harbour-2 and
prevented Left Front candidates from collecting nomination forms.
In North 24 Parganas, TMC activists attacked
CPI(M) office in Murarishah, Hasnabad and attacked Party activists. TMC gangs
cordoned a market area to attack CPI(M) activists, creating large scale panick
among people. CPI(M) DCM Shakti Mukherjee was injured among others. In Minakha
TMC activists took position within BDO office and severely beat up CPI(M)
candidates.TMC has cordoned off Sandeshkhali-1 block office.
In Coochbehar, Left Front candidates
were prevented from submission of nomination forms. They were attacked and
journalists were mercilessly beaten up by TMC activists.
In Raiganj in North Dinajpur, TMC gangs
started firing and charged bombs to disperse opposition candidates on 4thApril. They terrorized entire
town and searched for Left Front and opposition activists. TMC armed gangs
blocked nomination process in Kaliyaganj, Itahar.
In Murshidabad district, block offices
in Raghunathganj, Kandi, Baroan, salar, Raninahar, Jalangi, Nabagram,
Murshidanad-Jiaganj have been captured by TMC miscreants. CPI(M) offices in
Raninagar and Sherpur was vandalized.
In Hooghly, TMC armed gangs have taken
control of block offices in Haripal, Jangipara, Goghat, Balagarh, Purshura,
Dhaniakhali.
In Nadia, CPI(M) candidates were chased
away from Hanskhali, Chapra, Ranaghat-2, Santipur.
In West Medinipur, two women candidates of
CPI(M) have been kidnapped in Ghatal. Women candidate and her proposer was
attacked in Kharagpur. Opposition candidates were chased away from Mohanpur,
Pingla, Medinipur Sadar blocks too. TMC bike-borne gangs are freely moving and
creating terror.
In Howrah, Left candidates were severely
beaten up and all documents snatched in Jagat Ballavpur. Many were injured and
admitted to hospital.
CPI(ML) Liberation candidates were attacked in Bankura,
Dhanikhali in Hooghly. In some areas, SUCI(C) candidates were also obstructed
and attacked.
In almost all areas, the police have acted as accomplices
to the TMC. In some districts, police have actively participated in chasing
away opposition activists.
However, in such an atmosphere of state-sponsored terror
Left Front activists are trying their level best to submit nominations, braving
attacks and intimidations.
As on 5th April, Nomination Report is following:
Zilla Parishad: Total
Seats: 825/ TMC 61/ Left Front 91/ BJP 87/ Congress 40
Panchayat Samiti: Total
Seats: 9217/ TMC 2063/ Left Front 753/ BJP 1511/Congress 158
Gram Panchayat: Total
Seats 48650/ TMC 13319/ Left Front 4539/ BJP 9454/ Congress 1221
Non-existent State Election Commission
The State Election Commission has abjectly surrendered
and has remained totally insensitive to atrocities committed. Left Front
delegation has met State Election Commissioner regularly but he expressed his
inability to address any of the grievances. Left Front delegation has demanded
security for nomination process, which is practically absent in districts.
Apart from direct attack, system of providing provisional caste certificate has
been cancelled. The very short time span available for nomination has made this
process more difficult. State Election Commission has also failed to explain
the rationale behind schedule. While only seven days are available for
submission of nomination, same number of days have allowed for withdrawal. It
has been apprehended that TMC would pressurize and force opposition candidates
to withdraw.
The first phase of voting will take place on May Day.
Central trade unions, Left parties and many other organizations have forcefully
objected to this denigration of International Working Peoples’ Day and demanded
a change in schedule. Trade Unions organized a rally in front of State Election
Commission office.
To recollect, In Mamata Banerjee’s reign, one State
Election Commissioner had to move to courts seeking protection of her duties
under tremendous threat from the state government and another was forced to
resign during election process threatened by state ministers. On 5th April, as many as seven
state ministers went to State Election Commission office to further pressurize
them. On 6th April 17 parties
including Left Front will sit in a dharna in front of SEC office.
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation
All India Forward Bloc
Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)
Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation
All India Forward Bloc
Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)
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