West Bengal Panchayat Elections:
Stop Attacks, Restore Democracy & Democratic Rights
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Submission of nominations by Left Front and opposition candidates obstructed.
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Block and SDO offices are cordoned off by TMC armed gangs.
·
Attacks on opposition activists and candidates in all districts.
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More than 200 people have been injured.
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State Election Commission is virtually defunct.
·
Police is complicit in attacks on Left, not enforcing standing law and order
rules.
There is an unprecedented attack on the basic
democratic right to file nominations for the panchayat elections in West
Bengal.
The ruling Trinamul Congress has resorted to a
full-fledged assault on democracy and the rule of law by capturing the block
development offices (BDOs), sub-divisional offices (SDOs) and even District
Magistrate offices in some districts to obstruct and drive away opposition
candidates from filing nominations for the three-tier panchayat elections.
This is a form of pre-election rigging which makes the
election a farce.
Since 2nd April when filing of nominations began for all
three phases of polling, the state has witnessed the shameful spectacle of TMC
goons stationed at the administrative offices physically assaulting and chasing
away candidates of the opposition and of the Left parties in particular.
Hundreds of Left and opposition candidates have
been injured, their identity cards and other papers snatched away. In many
places, offices of the parties have been raided by TMC men to snatch away
papers and to threaten people.
On April 5th, Ramachandra Dome, former MP and a member of the Central
Committee who was leading a group of candidates to file nominations at Nalhati
in Birbhum district was brutally attacked and suffered a head injury.
In all these attacks, the police have refused to
intervene, or, are in connivance with the TMC men.
The time given for filing of nominations for all
three phases is only between 2nd and 9th April. This is too short. At the same time, the
time for withdrawals is also one week, unusually long. It is apprehended that
this time will be used to intimidate opposition candidates to withdraw.
If the panchayat elections are not to be a farcical
exercise, it is imperative that:
(i)
All those who wish to file their nominations are allowed to do so without any
fear and intimidation;
(ii)
For this, the time for filing nominations should be extended wherever required;
(iii)
Where candidates were prevented from filing nominations, alternative
arrangements should be made for them to register their candidature in secure
conditions.
(iv)
Firm action should be taken against all those indulging in hooliganism,
intimidation and encirclement of administrative offices.
The attacks going on in West Bengal are not just on the
Left Front but on the entire opposition and strikes at the very roots of
democracy.
We call upon all those who cherish democracy and
democratic values to resist these attacks and assert their rights guaranteed
under the Constitution.
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Sitaram Yechury
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D Raja
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Kavita Krishnan
|
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CPI(M)
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CPI
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CPI(UML)-Liberation
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Pran Nath
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Dharmendra Kumar
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SUCI(C)
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AIFB
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Date: Friday, April 6, 2018
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