'Grim Law And Order Situation': Bengal BJP Chief Meets Guv Urging Central Forces In Panchayat Polls

Bengal Panchayat Elections: Both BJP and Congress have demanded that Central Paramilitary Forces be deployed in the forthcoming polls alleging deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar met Governor CV Ananda Bose at Raj Bhawan, Kolkata on Saturday.

Source : Twitter/@DrSukantaBJP

West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar on Saturday met Governor C V Ananda Bose over the upcoming Panchayat elections in the state after he wrote a letter to the Governor requesting the deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces during the forthcoming Panchayat elections alleging deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The state Congress chief, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has also written to the Governor putting forth the same demand after an active Congress worker was killed in Murshidabad's Khargram besides two other workers of the party.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party has concerned at the grim law and order situation across West Bengal, and the conduct of Panchayat elections amidst such situation. Almost every day someone or the other is being killed in West Bengal. After the declaration of results after May 2, 2021, untold violence was unleashed on hapless citizens by the ruling Trinamool Congress," Majumdar claimed.

There have been several other incidents where violence has been unleashed in Bengal for political reasons, he alleged, further claiming that "women have also not been spared and several women were also ravished."

Contractual workers, teaching and non teaching staff whose
appointments are sub justice before the Hon’ble courts, shouldn’t be deployed for the election duty.

CCTVs should be installed at all sensitive & relevant locations.

This will help in boosting the public confidence . pic.twitter.com/JGP1KA0wV6

— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) June 10, 2023

The West Bengal BJP President went on to mention details of several rape and murder cases that have been reported in the state.

"In the previous Panchayat elections conducted in West Bengal in 2018 was also marred by untold violence, due to which fair and transparent elections could not be conducted and there were many constituencies where the political opposition in the State could not even file their nominations," he stated, reiterating the opposition's allegation.

Even in the elections to the Municipalities and Municipal Corporations across West Bengal there was widespread violence, he said.

Stressing the "deteriorated" law and order situation of West Bengal, he pointed to several incidents of violence, including explosions .

"The State Police is ineffective and has acted as mute spectators to all acts of violence. In such circumstances, we have no faith in West Bengal Police, and do believe that they may not act in a free and fair manner," he stated while claiming that the police deployment during the ensuing Panchayat elections "shall be inimical to a free and fair election process".

He requested the deployment of Central Paramilitary forces during the forthcoming Panchayat elections to "boost the confidence of the electorate."

Earlier, Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury made a similar appeal to Governor C V Ananda Bose, alleging that "Jungle rule" prevails in the state under which the "thugs and miscreants" of the ruling party are preying upon the opposition workers like they are some "monsters of the deep".

Bengal Panchayat Polls Schedule

SEC Rajiva Sinha on Thursday said that the village council elections will be held on a single day, with the deadline for filing nominations set for June 15. The votes will be counted on July 11.

Seen as a litmus test ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, panchayat polls in West Bengal will witness a fierce contest between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Hearing the pleas filed by the BJP and the Congress on Panchayat elections, the Division Bench of the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court asked the State Election Commission (SEC) on Friday to reconsider the notification of the local polls, observing that more time should be given for filing nominations. 

More On It: Time Given For Nomination Filing Not Enough: HC Asks Bengal Panchayat Poll Schedule To Be Reconsidered