The situation is precarious in West Bengal as those responsible for the smooth running of the state are now working in opposite directions. According to West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar the state is witnessing unprecedented post-poll violence, whilst Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has termed such allegations as untrue and partisan. It appears that both sides are more interested in taking this verbal duel to new heights than easing the plight of the people either affected by the recent cyclone in the state or by the deadly Covid-19 virus. Clearly, there is an absence of good governance and instead, a game of political football is taking place. The only silver-lining in the whole episode is the directive of the Calcutta High Court for an impartial probe by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Over the years intimidation, torture and murder have become a permanent part of state politics in West Bengal. All parties with presence in the state indulge in such practices to establish hegemony. Sometimes, this tactic is successful but more often it backfires. If the Congress or the Left have no members in the state Assembly for the first time since Independence, it is because the two parties have indulged in strong-arm tactics whilst in power. The people of West Bengal will never forget the mass killings in Kashipur and Baranagar during the Congress Regime. Similarly, the killings in Netai and Nandigram will never be erased from the minds of the people. It was only after the Nandigram massacre that the three decade long Left rule ended in the state. The electorate even took on the ruling Trinomool Congress during 2019 Lok Sabha polls after being denied their voting rights during the Panchayat polls and the anger helped BJP win 18 parliamentary seats.
The continuance of violence in West Bengal shows that the parties only believe in quick-fix policies, rather than hard work. This is why violence has become an integral part of state politics. Both the ruling as well as the opposition parties threatened their political rivals of dire consequences in their strongholds. Even the top most leaders of various political parties are guilty of using foul language against their rivals. The Election Commission (EC) tried hard to control the damage by banning various leaders from campaigning, but it did not help. Venom and hatred continue to dominate the poll process in the state. Thus, what is being witnessed today is the result of failures by the political parties to uphold democratic values. Democracy offers the right to dissent and is flexible enough to accommodate divergent views. It is only through democracy that a violence-free society can be established. Unfortunately, in West Bengal, democratic rights are being blatantly misused. It is being interpreted to suit narrow political interests. As the situation is fast threatening to go out of hand, the probe should be conducted in a free and fair manner at the earliest to save the state from any further political catastrophes.