TMC unleashes muscle power ahead of Bengal panchayat polls

The bugle for the panchayat (village level) elections in West Bengal was sounded earlier last week, with the State Election Commission (SEC) declaring voting for all panchayats in a single phase across the state.

- DIBYENDU MONDAL

But soon after, reports of violence started coming from all over Bengal—violence that was being committed allegedly by the hooligans belonging to the Trinamool Congress (TMC). They were allegedly harassing, threatening and even preventing candidates from Opposition parties such as the BJP, the CPM and the Congress from filing their nominations. However, when asked, the TMC denies all such accusations, saying that the party does not encourage goons in any way. Even though just two days have passed since the nomination process for the panchayat elections has started, at least one death has been reported from the state. A Congress leader from Murshidabad district was killed allegedly in an election-related violence. The Congress alleged that TMC goons fired five rounds of bullets in the Khargram region of Murshidabad district, killing Congress leader Fulchand Sheikh and injuring three others.

Several other people from various districts of Bengal have been injured in clashes that have been breaking out daily while BJP, CPM and Congress leaders have been going to file their nominations at the local Block Development Officer’s (BDO) office in their respective areas.

On the first day of nomination, violence from various districts was reported, where alleged TMC goons heckled and attacked Opposition candidates including BJP candidates while they were on their way to file nominations. The BJP told The Sunday Guardian that at least a dozen of their karyakartas (workers) were injured in attacks by the TMC and were undergoing treatment in various hospitals across the state.