Bengal: Political violence returns
Security forces must be restrained, while parties need to rein in their cadres
In the fourth phase of polling in West Bengal, a quick reaction team of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which was allegedly attacked by a mob, opened fire, killing four at a polling booth in North Bengal’s Sitalkuchi constituency. In a separate incident, unidentified assailants shot and killed a first-time voter, an 18year-old young citizen, in the same constituency. The Election Commission (EC) has ordered a repoll; decided to deploy additional security personnel for the remaining phases; and extended the period of silence — when campaigning has to stop — from the usual 48 hours to 72 hours before the next phase of polling. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has blamed the incident on Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers, and Mamata Banerjee has blamed it on the Centre.
There are two key issues here. The first is the role of the security forces. In a state with a history of political violence, where EC has deliberately staggered polls over eight phases due to security considerations, forces must be vigilant and effective in ensuring that each citizen gets to exercise the right to vote without fear and there are free and fair polls. But this responsibility must be coupled with restraint, and firing — and firing to kill — must be the last resort. Were standard procedures followed or did the security personnel use excessive force? India has made tremendous strides in having peaceful and free elections and an independent enquiry into the incident is important to build on this record.
At the same time, it is also the responsibility of political parties to act with restraint. In Bengal, the coercive machinery of the Left has been replicated by the TMC in maintaining a firm grip over local politics; when this is coupled with fierce rhetoric, which almost encourages taking on the security forces, the possibility of violence increases. This is even more true when both sides are locked in a tough battle, with intense competition for each seat, each booth, each voter. The onus is on political leaders on all sides to calm workers, and let independent institutions do their work. Alas, the political rhetoric over the killings — which is also taking a communal turn since the four killed were Muslims, and the first-time voter was a Hindu — indicates that polling in the remaining phases may not be smooth. EC must be alert.