Why is West Bengal politics violent?

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, June 16

The “killing fields of Bengal”this is how political violence is often referred to in the state which has been a witness to violent incidents in the run up to the ‘panchayat’ elections next month.

According to reports quoting police officials, “at least three persons” were killed in poll-related violence in West Bengal on Thursdaythe last day for filing nominations for the July 8 elections.

“A CPM worker was killed in firing in Chopra in North Dinajpur district and two others (one from TMC and the other from Indian Secular Front) were killed in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district where clashes were reported since Tuesday,” as per the ground reports.

While Congress and CPM blamed the ruling TMC government, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dismissed the allegations that her party used violence to stop the Opposition from filing nominations. ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui alleged that “TMC supporters snatched nomination papers of their candidates in front of the police. The state police are incompetent to handle the situation.”

What is happening in West Bengal?

The upcoming panchayat election will decide the fate of some 73,000 representatives in 928 zila parishads in 22 districts, 9,730 panchayat samitis, and 63,229 gram panchayats. Around 5.67 crore voters will vote to elect representatives for the nearly 75,000 seats.

The elections have been marred by incidents of violence and allegations of malpractices and corruption with political parties accusing each other of fomenting trouble. Various regions, particularly the Bhangar block, have been witnessing clashes between supporters of the ruling TMC and the ISF in the past two days.

Opposition parties claimed thatTMC supporters used violence to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers. “Bombs, guns, pipes, cricket stumps, lathis, bamboo sticks and deadly implements were used to threaten candidates,” they said. Denying the allegations,Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee in turn accused the opposition of “trying to malign the state by orchestrating the violence”.She also denied involvement of her party workers in the incidents.

Thursday was the last day for filing nomination papers.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has also filed a review petition in Calcutta High Court against the deployment of central forces in all districts, according to agency reports.

Violence not new to Bengal politics

According to reports quoting the NCRB data, Bengal has been recording 20 political murders every year since 1999.

The state witnessed the highest number of political killings (161) between 2010 and 2019. Though Kerala has also seen 200 plus political murders in the past three decades, West Bengal leads, say observers.

In fact, reports also quoted Banerjee citing the 2003 incident when 36 people were killed during the Left regime and the 2013 panchayat polls held under the supervision of central forces. “They could not help stop the bloodshed as 49 people were killed,” she said accusing BJP of using “religion to polarise”.

Observers say violence is not new to West Bengal’s politics which comes replete with incidentsof violent confrontations between political groups. “Political violence in the region is almost like a tradition owing genesis to a highly politically conscious and invested population who in turn are linked with some or the other political outfit. One can see party flags dotting rurallandscapes. Violent confrontations are a way to settle scores and their intensity depends upon the challenger and the power of the dominant force,” they explain.

Over the years, politicaldominance has changed from the times inthe 1960s when Congress was challenged by Left and other regional parties to the 1990s when TMC emerged as the new force of dominance.

Coming ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the 2023 panchayat elections are a challenge to the dominance of TMC.

Observers say not just BJP and Congress, the Left too is more organised than before and now there is also this newbiecalled ISF. While for TMC’s rivals these elections are all about establishing their dominance, the ruling regime is battling allegations ranging from corruption charges to those related to illegal coal mining and cattle trade besides a long anti-incumbency factor.