As voting for 108 municipalities in West Bengal has started, TMC goons have resumed their well-known violence at many places. At many places in West Bengal, incidents of violence are being reported in which TMC workers have gone out of their way to interfere with the normal polling processes causing violence. Clashes have broken between the TMC workers and the BJP workers in many places. From beating the workers of the opposition parties to hurling the bombs, TMC goons have showcased every symptom of political violence that they are ill-known for. Opposition including BJP has accused TMC and demanded action against them.
According to ANI, a clash broke between TMC & BJP workers during the polling for civic polls in North 24 Pargana on 27th February 2022. The local BJP MP Arjun Singh has said, “2 EVMs vandalized at ward 9, the similar situation across the state. Police arresting BJP workers, not letting them vote. All booths have been captured.”
A clash broke between TMC & BJP workers during the polling for #WestBengal civic polls in North 24 Parganas.
— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022
“2 EVMs vandalized at ward 9, similar situation across the state. Police arresting BJP workers, not letting them vote. All booths have been captured: Arjun Singh, BJP pic.twitter.com/iCwQEub5Kj
MP Arjun Singh is the Vice President of the West Bengal state unit of the BJP. He has further said, “Only Police and goons are voting here. Voters are scared to vote, especially the Bengali population, who are not being allowed to vote. Even TMC’s core vote bank, Muslims are not able to vote. The police here are playing one of the 3 monkeys of Gandhiji.”
Only Police and goons are voting here. Voters are scared to vote, especially the Bengali population, who are not being allowed to vote. Even TMC’s core vote bank, Muslims are not able to vote. Police here is playing one of the 3 monkeys of Gandhiji: West Bengal BJP vice-president pic.twitter.com/5pFTvtPEqu
— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2022
It is notable that Arjun Singh was earlier attacked by TMC goons in the North 2 Pargana district when he was going to attend a program on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
The BJP has also accused TMC of intimidation in the Kanthi constituency, the area where the opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari lives. Party has also alleged that its candidate in Konnagar of Hugly was beaten up by the goons. BJP workers had protested this violence on 26th February 2022 in the night. The opposition parties including BJP are alleging that the violent attacks have suddenly surged in the last twenty-four hours that is just before the actual polling.
In the Kamarhati area of the North 24 Pargana district, bombs were hurled near the residence of a CPM candidate on the night of 25th February 2022. Incidents of alleged attacks are also being reported from Barrackpore. On Saturday 26th February 2022, a delegation of women from the Left’s women organization had visited the state election commission office. This delegation had demanded closed-circuit television cameras be operational during the poll hours. But, instead of providing safe polling arrangements, the police, according to the opposition are involved in encouraging the TMC goons.
TMC goons have also allegedly attacked a CPM candidate in Arambag. In the Murshidabad district, TMC goons have beaten up several leaders and candidates from the opposition parties. Not only this but there are also reports from the East Midnapore district that a few media persons are beaten up by the TMC goons in Dum Dum and at Contai.
BJP’s national Vice-President and West Bengal BJP leader Dilip Ghosh has condemned the attacks on the opposition party workers by TMC goons. He has said, “It is unimaginable that there will be no violence in West Bengal during an election. There is no rule of law in Bengal.”
