Panchayat Poll Violence: Bengal BJP Seeks Governor's Intervention

The legal department of West Bengal BJP on Friday sought Governor C V Ananda Bose’s intervention over the violence during the West Bengal panchayat election process, claiming that it has exposed the “suffocation of democratic process” and lack of law and order in the state.

Stating that a number of lives have been lost during the rural poll process, they said in a representation that free and fair elections have become a distant dream.

Seeking the governor’s intervention “to restore democracy in West Bengal,” BJP legal department comprising advocates, claimed that the state’s panchayat election has exposed “suffocation of democratic process and lack of law and order in the state.”

The representation submitted to the Raj Bhavan alleged that such a high level of poll-related violence is unique to West Bengal and is seldom observed in other states in the country.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed that 19 people, mostly from her TMC, died in poll-related violence since the election date was announced on June 8.

Police sources, however, have put the number of fatalities at 38 but agree that at least 60 per cent of those who lost their lives were affiliated with the TMC.

On Thursday evening, BJP workers scuffled with the police in North 24 Parganas district during their agitation against alleged electoral malpractices in the recently concluded panchayat elections.

A police officer said a few personnel were injured in the scuffle which took place when they attempted to lift a blockade by BJP workers near Akaipur railway station.

A police vehicle was also damaged in the incident, he said.

Union Minister Shantanu Thakur participated in a protest march at Akaipur, alleging rigging by TMC workers during the July 8 panchayat elections.

After the minister left the area, some protesters blocked the road near Akaipur railway station.

When police tried to lift the blockade, the agitators scuffled with the law enforcers, leading to injuries, the police officer said.

Three persons have been detained in connection with the incident.

Local BJP leader Pradeep Banerjee claimed that no party leader was present when the incident took place.

“Agitated by police inaction seen during the panchayat polls, a few locals attacked the law enforcers and broke the glass of their vehicle,” he said.