Battleground Bengal : Panchayat Elections.

 On June 8th 2023, State Election Commissioner of West Bengal, Rajiva Sinha announced elections for the three tier Panchayat system. This sparked the violence in the state due to which a confirmed 8 people have lost their lives and investigations continue. All political parties involved blame each other for the violence, in what has become a game of passing the buck around. Matters have reached the High Court and Supreme Court and 337 companies of Central Forces have been deployed to control the violence. However, this is not the first time violence has erupted in Bengal due to Panchayat elections, in fact it has been a recurring theme in the State. Some claim this acceptance and desensitization to violence is the crux of politics in Bengal and this does not seem far from the truth. Let us look at the facts surrounding the situation from each perspective as it stands today to have a better informed opinion of the situation. 

An overview of the violence stands as follows :

In the district of South 24 Parganas, TMC and CPI(M) workers and activists have been clashing regularly. CPI (M) alleges that their party offices were attacked and many houses were vandalized in an attempt to intimidate the people. 

In the Murshidabad district numerous crude bombs have been recovered by the Police and Congress workers were allegedly attacked by TMC supporters. 

In addition to this there have been countless clashes of a minor level between crowds of opposing political parties which has caused massive property damage and countless injuries. It has led to a rather grim environment in the State with the people frustrated at the violence.

According to the ruling party Trinamool Congress, the violence is a direct result of the Bharatiya Janata Party trying to establish control in Bengal. 

• Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly accused the BJP of threatening voters and trying to control booths. 
• Mamata Banerjee has also accused the BJP of using the Border Security Force to intimidate voters on the border areas and forcing people not to vote. 
• Mamata also accused the BJP of allegedly attacking her at Nandigram due to which she supposedly sustained injuries to her leg. 

The TMC claims that the BJP is a non-democratic authoritarian party and promises to oust them not only on the Panchayat Elections but also in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at the Center. 

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has a different view on the matter.

• CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury accuses the TMC for using violence and intimidation tactics to hold onto power in Bengal while simultaneously blaming other parties for the violence.
• One of the deceased was a CPI(M) activist, Mansoor Alam, who was hacked to death and the CPI(M) blames the TMC for his death.
• GS Yechury also blames the TMC for the attack of an office of the CPI(M) at Kalagara town.
• To add context, GS Yechury states that on the last Panchayat elections, 34% of the seats were uncontested. He claims that this was due to a concerted effort of violence by the TMC.

In response to accusations to his party, Bharatiya Janata Party Chief of West Bengal, Sukanta Majumdar accuses Mamata of blaming his party for her violence.

• He questions the timing of the injuries of CM Mamata Banerjeee and claims it was just a ploy to distract the public and gain favor amongst voters while vilifying the BJP.
• The BJP in response to allegations of using the BSF to intimidate voters, claims the accusations to be baseless and just a ploy for political advantage. They claim that ever since the Border Security Force had been given extra power in 2021, CM Mamata has been trying to tarnish the image of the BSF. The BJP states that the move was to strengthen the borders of the country against increasingly dangerous foes like China and Pakistan, and the CM has been trying to tarnish the reputation of the elite force for political reasons. 
• Additionally, the BJP along with the Enforcement Directorate has been looking into corruption charges in appointment of Vice-Chancellors, Professors and teachers by the TMC government in return of political favors and money. Such investigations are ongoing.

During these developments, the Kolkata High Court has made its opinions very clear. It called the situation in Bengal "a shame to democracy" and has openly suggested the Government to postpone the elections or cancel them, if they cannot maintain peace in the State. The High Court has approved the request of Central Forces to control the situation.

At the center of all the controversy stands State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha.

Rajiva Sinha was appointed the SEC after being nominated by the State Government and approved by Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on 8th June 2023. He immediately announced the three tier panchayat elections and many claim that he did so without the proper preparations of security and planning that is required for such an undertaking.

He has also been accused of biased approval of nominations against other parties. Representatives claim that the violence had stopped them from applying for nominations and the SEC did not provide extensions or any understanding for their situation.

Gov. Bose also accused him of not being able to fulfill his duties as an Election Commissioner and blames him for the violence in Bengal as it is his job to curb and control such situations. Many on the Governor's side have called for the removal of Rajiva Sinha, but CM Mamata Banerjee claims that is a long and arduous process of impeachment that will not yield any results and that the panchayat polls have been peaceful.

A PIL has been registered against him in the Kolkata High Court and his fate is to be decided in the coming weeks. 

                                       

Governor CV Ananda Bose has also remarked that reports of the violence are highly filtered and devoid of facts. Therefore he has taken the initiative to personally visit the affected areas and decide for himself what the situation demands of him. He recently visited Siliguri and Darjeeling and has plans to visit many more affected districts, meet the public, converse with families of victims and injured victims to ascertain the situation for himself.

Therefore Bengal holds its breath as the violence continues. Central Forces have arrived in affected areas with almost 337 companies being deployed. The SEC Rajiva Sinha has demanded for 485 more companies but the Ministry of Home Affairs have asked for valid use and details of how the existing companies are being used. 

Bengal is no stranger to violence during elections and it is almost expected that it erupts during election season and spreads with confrontations of opposing political parties. From clashes between the Congress and Left parties in the 60's and 70's and 80's, to clashes between Maoists and the Trinamool in the 2000's, violence has always existed in the political realm. 

The persistent violence and the unwillingness of the TMC and CM Mamata Banerjee to accept reality and act is playing right into the hands of the BJP, as they emerge as the only alternative that can fight the TMC domination. The BJP has been rather successful in rallying support and unifying the people against the TMC as CM Mamata refuses to look closer at some of the pressing concerns facing her administration.

And stuck in the middle of all this are some 5.67 crore people who will vote for 73,000 panchayat representatives who govern the massive three tier Panchayati Raj system in Bengal. Despite repeated violence in Bengal, the enthusiastic and politically aware people have never shied away from exercising their voting rights, with an average of 72% of the electorate voting. The people stand bewildered and frustrated at the violence and demand change and development. Most of the villages stand underdeveloped facing massive problems in infrastructure, funding, health and education services and much more. The people look at the elections as a means to change their situation, and I hope they make the right choices in their votes undeterred by the violence.

Written by Ariyaan Moktan.