The seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal were marred by violence, with reports of kidnapping, murder, intimidation of voters, forgery of documents, and impersonation of polling agents rife. The Trinamool Congress, the BJP, and the CPM-Congress were locked in a war of words with each blaming the others for the violence. Now, the BJP has decided to send its own "fact-finding" team to the state.
BJP President JP Nadda on Saturday formed a four-member committee to probe the violence and submit a report. Senior leaders of the party are part of the committee. The team is composed of former MPs Biplab Dev (convener), Ravi Shankar Prasad, Brijlal and Kavita Patidar. The BJP in a statement said: "The BJP has formed a Committee to evaluate the incidents of political violence that have continued in West Bengal incessantly following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Members of this committee will visit West Bengal and present a detailed report on the incidents to BJP National President JP Nadda."
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari accused the TMC of fomenting violence. He said, "The TMC is doing this to destroy the opposition by the next elections... The BJP received 39% of the votes in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal... The TMC knows that BJP is leading in 90 assembly seats, which is why it rigged the elections."
Dance Of Death Cannot Go On: Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose
Commenting on Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose talking victims of violence, Adhikari said: "Governor is the constitutional head and he is a highly educated person...Governor has enough constitutional powers and he should use them as there is a constitutional breakdown in West Bengal."
Adhikari on Thursday went to meet Governor Ananda Bose with 200 of the purported victims of poll violence, but was stopped outside the Raj Bhavan by the police who cited imposition of Section 144 to prevent his movement further. Reacting to this, Governor Ananda Bose said: "The background of the incident that took place yesterday is the unpardonable act from the government of preventing the victims of violence from airing their grievances with the constitutional head of the state is deplorable. That situation was brought to the notice of the govt and it was asked to answer...Yesterday, I gave permission to the victims of violence to meet me in Raj Bhawan and air their grievances. I was shocked to find that they were stopped from exercising their democratic rights of defending their life. There is a dance of death, the macabre which is happening in parts of West Bengal. During this election also there have been many incidents of violence. This cannot go on."
Bengal has seen violence in polls over the last few years. From Panchayat elections to Lok Sabha elections, there always have been confrontations between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP in every poll. Dozens of BJP and TMC workers have even lost their lives in clashes in Bengal over the last year.