Violence, 18 Deaths, Ballot Destruction Taint Bengal Panchayat Polls As Parties Play Blame Game: Five Points

The incidents of violence have sparked a heated war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, with the latter calling for re-elections in several booths.

Workers of rival political groups clash during the panchayat elections in Barasat, North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

Source : PTI

West Bengal's three-tier panchayat elections were marred by violence. The voting day was no better, with reports of booth capture and vandalism in several districts. Since Friday night, the Panchayat poll has recorded 18 deaths. The incidents of violence have sparked a heated war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, with the latter calling for re-elections in several booths.

Five Points On The Events That Happened In Bengal On The Day Of Rural Polls:

1. Election-Related Violence Claims Lives Of 18 Individuals:

   The panchayat elections were marred by violence, both in the run-up to the elections and on election day. As clashes and incidents of booth capturing were reported in various districts, the death toll rose to 18, news agency ANI reported. Ten members of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) were killed, three each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, and two each from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), the report said. These incidents sparked a spat between the TMC and the BJP, with the latter demanding re-elections in several booths.

2. Vandalism, Destruction Of Ballot Boxes Add To The Chaos During The Polls:

   Several instances of ballot box vandalism and destruction were reported throughout the day. Ballot boxes and ballot papers were set on fire at a booth in Baravita Govt Primary School in the Dinhata area of Cooch Behar district, ANI reported. Locals in the Barnachina area set fire to a ballot box, accusing it of being tampered with, while miscreants set fire to a police vehicle in the Murshidabad district, it added. 
3. West Bengal Governor Expresses Concern Over Violence, Demands An End To Bloodshed:

   West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited various areas in the district of North 24 Parganas and met with injured victims of the violence, news agency PTI reported. He listened to their accounts of murders, intimidation by goons preventing them from voting, and presiding officers who did not address their concerns. Bose emphasised the importance of addressing these isolated incidents and expressed concern about any bloodshed on such an important day for democracy, the report said.

4. BJP Demands President's Rule, Accuses TMC, CPI(M), And Congress Of Collusion:

   The BJP slammed the TMC-led government for the widespread violence witnessed during the elections. Party leader Suvendu Adhikari called for President's Rule to be imposed in the state and threatened to lead a march to Kalighat, the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to protest the violence. Adhikari emphasised the importance of free and fair elections, claiming that they could only be guaranteed under President's Rule or Article 355.

5. State Election Commissioner To Review Complaints Of Vote Tampering And Violence:

   In the midst of calls for re-elections, Bengal State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha stated that the panel would look into complaints of vote tampering and violent incidents. After receiving reports from observers and returning officers, the decision would be made. The districts of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad received the most complaints, with the SEC receiving 1,300 from Barasat alone, including incidents of miscreants fleeing with ballot boxes.