BJP looks to corner TMC govt over violence against its cadre
NEW DELHI: In the weeks leading up to May 2, which marks the first anniversary of the 2021 assembly elections in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party plans to raise the issue of continuing political violence against its cadre in the state.
The state unit of the party has planned public programmes to keep the focus on the attacks carried out against its workers for which the BJP blames the ruling Trinamool Congress party, according to several BJP leaders.
Central leaders, including home minister Amit Shah, are also expected to visit the state to participate in these programmes. “The dates for Shah’s visit will be finalised soon. He will hold meetings with the karyakartas (workers) to shore up their morale. He will also be meeting a cross-section of people in batches. This will include professionals and the intelligentsia,” a leader based in Delhi said, seeking anonymity.
The public programmes assume importance in the wake of the BJP’S ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, underlining the need to not only seek justice for those party workers who were killed or severely injured in the violence that broke out in the state following the elections, but also to signal that the party is serious about emerging as an alternative to the ruling TMC in West Bengal.
In the fiercely contested 2021 elections, the BJP improved its vote share as well as its overall tally in the assembly.
Though the TMC retained power, winning 215 of the 294 seats, the BJP won 77 seats, up from the previous elections’ three, and its vote share went up from 10.16% in 2016 to 37.49%.
Senior functionaries including Mukul Roy and Babul
Supriyo quitting the party to rejoin the TMC was an “outcome of the fear prevalent in the state”, a second leader based in the state said, declining to be named. Post elections, these BJP leaders crossed over to the TMC.
“Senior leaders of the Sangh have conveyed to the BJP leadership that the party cannot allow a political vacuum in West Bengal,” said the second functionary.
“They want the BJP leadership from the state as well as the Centre to be visible and vocal on the ground, particularly since workers have borne the brunt of the TMC’S political vendetta.”
The BJP has periodically raised the issue of political violence in the state and blamed the Mamata Banerjee government for failing to take action against the perpetrators of violence, which resulted in the killing of several BJP workers and arson in some instances.
On April 6, while addressing party workers on the occasion of the BJP’S 42nd foundation day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming West Bengal, made a reference to the killings of party workers and said the BJP will not stop striving till anti-democratic forces are defeated and democratic principles are established.
“We are fighting against such parties that do not care about democratic principles. Some of our workers have sacrificed their lives. I am giving you an assurance that the party will continue to struggle in those states and will fight till the anti-democratic forces a defeat it,” Modi said.
“BJP workers in the state have faced violence for years, but in the last one year alone, the attacks have increased in intensity and frequency. From May 2021 till date, there has been little done by the TMC government to take action against those who were named in police complaints for carrying out attacks,” a third functionary said.