SANDESHKHALI violence indicates that the situation in West Bengal is deteriorating day by day. Also, the calls for imposition of the President’s Rule in the violence-torn State are growing. This warrants the Central Government to act now, instead of waiting for the right opportunity from political point of view. For, a lot is at stake for people and social fabric in West Bengal. For years, politics and violence are intertwined in case of West Bengal. May it be the erstwhile Congress rule, or subsequent Leftist rule, or now Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule, political violence did not cease. Somehow, the political power structure in the State failed to think rationally when it came to allowing democratic dissent. In the past some years, West Bengal under TMC rule appears to have worsened the situation instead of working on bringing peace and social harmony. The State witnesses political violence in all three phases -- before the elections, during the polls, and after the announcement of election results.

 

In most cases, the Opposition parties have been very vocal in accusing ‘TMC goons’ of such violence. The cases of selective targeting, allegations of rape, setting houses on fire after locking people inside, crushing dissent, creating clashes if parties other than TMC are gaining an edge... All these things indicate that in the process of protecting political turf,TMC has resorted to all sorts of compromises.Thereby, it has not only earned a bad name for the State of West Bengal, but also shredded the social fabric with the sharp-edged weapon of fear. Ms. Mamata Banerjee acts less as a Chief Minister and more as TMC chief out there to keep political power with her, no matter if the people of West Bengal suffer. She has been brazen in attempts to subvert the Constitutional mechanisms.

 

She has been actively engaged in challenging the powers of the Governor. In the blindness to oppose the BJPled Central Government, she has resorted to various antics including staging sit-in against transfer of officers, not extending co-operation to officials of Central agencies, and misusing State Police machinery to stop political opponents from even visiting the violence-hit places inWest Bengal.She has openly opposed implementation of various schemes and Citizenship Amendment Act. On one hand, she has been doing all these things. On the other, she has been trying to play a victim card. However, this is not an era when people submit to feudalistic politics. Today, people of West Bengal are seething with anger against TMC rule, nay, misrule. Now, it seems, it is irrational to expect TMC to correct its behaviour. Unfortunately, despite growing demands from various quarters regarding imposition of the President’s Rule in West Bengal, it appears that the political dispensation in power at the Centre is waiting for the right opportunity from political point of view. Else, how can one explain the lack of visible concrete action on ground to restore law and order in the State? Such inaction is anathema to the concept of the Central Government being the custodian of the welfare and safety of the people. If the Centre continues to delay solid action against lawlessness in West Bengal, it will be guilty of collusion in the eyes of the victims of violence. Act Now! This should be the only principle to be followed if West Bengal is to be saved from further damage.