Bengal panchayat polls: Death toll in poll-related violence reaches 20
The death toll in poll-related violence during Saturday's West Bengal panchayat polls reportedly stood at 20 as of Sunday morning after a worker of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was allegedly stabbed to death in Malda's Baishnavnaga. Winde-spread violence rocked the state during the rural polling process in West Bengal, with reports of multiple incidents involving bomb attacks and vandalization of ballot boxes.
Why does this story matter?
The incidents of violence have triggered a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling TMC, with the former demanding re-election at numerous booths. Significantly, the panchayat polls also serve as a litmus test ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and are a means to mobilize people at the grassroots level, where approximately 80% of Bengal's voters live.
Several BJP, Congress, TMC workers dead in poll-related clashes
As per reports, 13 victims of the poll-related violence belonged to the ruling TMC in Bengal. While two workers from the BJP and Communist Party of India (Marxist) lost their lives, one party worker each died from the Congress and Indian Secular Front (ISF) as well. On the other hand, News18 reported that a voter was also killed during Saturday's state-wide violence.
Major failure of central, state police personnel
What made the multiple incidents of violence more shocking was that Saturday's polling process was conducted under the watch of the central government authorities for the second time since the Panchayati Raj system's inception in the late 1970s in West Bengal. Approximately 65,000 central and 70,000 state police personnel were reportedly deployed in order to maintain peace during polling.
Security personnel, state election commissioner react to Bengal's violence-ridden polling
Speaking to News18 regarding poll-related violence, Border Security Force (BSF) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) SS Guleria stated that despite several reminders, the West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) failed to provide locations and further information about sensitive polling booths before the elections. Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha has vowed to address vote tampering allegations and consider re-polling based on reports from officials.
BJP attacks TMC, others over 'murder of democracy' in WB
Union minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur launched an attack on the Congress and other opposition parties on Saturday over their "silence" on the "murder of democracy" during the panchayat polls in West Bengal. Furthermore, Thakur also bashed TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and asked if she believed in having "any election in Bengal without murder, arson, and anarchy."
Democracy is suppressed and killed in Bengal: Thakur
"The declaration of panchayat polls in West Bengal is akin to the start of the murder of democracy. Beating up people, bomb blasts, and setting things afire become common occurrences," Thakur told ANI. "Democracy is suppressed and killed in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee and TMC leaders stoop to any extent to win elections. Be it assaulting people and unleashing atrocities on women," he added.
