Even as several incidents of unbridled violence broke out in various parts of West Bengal, as opposition candidates were attacked on their way to file nomination papers for the panchayat polls, the State Election Commission has scheduled an all-party meeting on Tuesday to address the current law and order situation and listen to grievances regarding the panchayat polls.
Newly appointed State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha will preside over the meeting, news agency PTI reported.
“All political parties have been invited to attend the meeting on Tuesday. The discussions will focus on the state’s law and order situation, as well as the grievances and demands put forth by the political parties,” Sinha said.
The meeting comes a day after the division bench of Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court reserved its order on the probability of postponing the dates of rural polls and last date of nomination filing.
Opposition BJP, Congress and CPI(M) claimed that their candidates were prevented from submitting papers by “goons” of the ruling Trinamool Congress and argued that without the deployment of central forces, it is impossible to have peaceful and fair elections in the state.
Meanwhile, clashes were reported in Daspur (Paschim Medinipur), Kakdwip (South 24 Parganas), Raninagar (Murshidabad), Saktinagar and Barshul (both in Purba Bardhaman) and Minakhan (North 24 Parganas), an official told PTI.
However, the Trinamool Congress stated that the allegations that Opposition parties are not being allowed to file nominations are baseless.
Taking note of the reports, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said that violence would not be tolerated.
“The (panchayat) elections in West Bengal will be conducted peacefully, and no violence will be tolerated,” Bose had earlier told PTI and urged “all the stakeholders to ensure peace and harmony”.
On Saturday, Bose even had an emergency meeting with the state election commissioner, and according to sources, the governor asked Sinha why so many incidents of violence were being reported during the filing of nominations. Bose also asked about the security arrangements and whether the poll panel was considering the deployment of central forces, the sources added.
Against the backdrop of allegations of large-scale violence after the voting date was announced, the SEC has asked all district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CRPC in a one-km radius of all nomination centres.
Opposition candidates attacked
When the nomination process began on Friday, a Congress worker was killed in Murshidabad on the same day after a group of unidentified miscreants shot at him and two others at Ratanpur Naldip .
After the killing of the Congress worker, MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary hit out at the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, stating that a Congress worker was murdered and the killing took place in the run-up to the panchayat elections.
“We will not allow TMC to indulge in this politics of blood,” he said, adding that the ruling party is resorting to unchecked hooliganism and using the administration to unleash terror on the Opposition ahead of the panchayat polls.
On Monday, CPI(M) candidates at Barsul in Purba Bardhaman district were allegedly prevented from filing nomination papers by members of the ruling party, reported The Indian Express. This led to both groups hurling stones at each other. Three policemen were injured in the clash. The situation was eventually brought under control by police, including personnel from the Rapid Action Force.
CPI(M) candidates at Minakhan in North 24 Parganas district were also allegedly attacked by TMC workers. After gheraoing the CPI(M) party office, TMC workers attacked them, causing injury to several CPI(M) workers.
In Paschim Bardhaman’s Jamuria area, BJP candidates were allegedly prevented from filing their nomination papers.
The Congress also claimed that its candidates were stopped from filing nominations in Bhangar-II block of South 24 Parganas district and Kakdwip in the same district.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee was stopped by police from entering the BDO office since prohibitory orders were in force.
On Monday, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that violence was the new normal in West Bengal. Targeting Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, he said, “Mamata Didi, Bengal is burning.”
The polling for nearly 70,000 seats in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, which includes Zilla Parishads, Panchayat Samitis, and Gram Panchayats, is slated for July 8 and votes will be counted on July 11.
