On 26th April, the second round of the Lok Sabha election commenced and reports of violence and altercations have already surfaced from West Bengal where voting is taking place in three North Bengal constituencies including Raiganj, Balurghat and Darjeeling. Notably, the members of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) camped out within 100 meters of a voting booth installed at Patiram Vivekananda Girls School in Balurghat in an attempt to influence the voters. Jyotish Roy, the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha was physically assaulted for opposing the same.
BJP state unit president and Lok Sabha candidate from the area, Sukanta Majumdar reached the location upon receiving the information, however, he was met with “Go Back” slogans as the TMC workers surrounded him and started protesting which led to a conflict between the two sides. The BJP leader accused the TMC of “thuggery” as well as charged that the police administration is “pimping” for the TMC government and is not taking the necessary steps. Furthermore, he voiced that he had been the target of hostile slogans from TMC workers.
He also voiced his anger towards the IC (inspector-in-charge) and stated, “I have notified the Election Commission. Is it within the rules that slogans can be raised within 100 meters of the polling station? Our booth agent was beaten up. The TMC is indulging in hooliganism to win the election. IC isn’t doing its work properly. Two police officers have already been suspended for incompetence. If this continues then we will take action against the IC.”
Meanwhile, the TMC workers in Balurghat’s Khadimpur Masterpara attacked a BJP member for utilizing his democratic right to vote. The official handle of the party’s state unit also posted about the incident and wrote, “TMC’s goons strike again in Balurghat, Khadimpur Masterpara, assaulting a BJP activist for exercising his democratic right to vote. This blatant display of thuggery exposes TMC’s fascist agenda to suppress opposition voices. Shame on TMC for resorting to such cowardly tactics.” Additionally, the Election Commission of India was tagged to alert them to the situation.
TMC worker hurt in blast while making bombs
On the night of 24th April, 40-year-old Zinnah Ali was reportedly injured in his right hand in an explosion while constructing crude bombs in Murshidabad, West Bengal. His hand was blown as a result of the blast. The incident transpired in Munai Kandra hamlet, Burwan of the Berhampore Lok Sabha seat. A loud sound roused the residents from their sleep and they discovered Zinnah Ali lying unconscious in a pool of blood and was taken to Birbhum immediately.
Jayanta Das, the spokesman for the Murshidabad district Congress, stated that TMC workers were manufacturing homemade bombs to intimidate opposition members before the poll. There was a polling place 50 yards away from the location. The state police and district administration have been asked to provide a report by the Election Commission regarding the occurrence. Berhampore will go to elections on 13th May.
The incidents of finding country-made bombs during elections in the state are very common. A large number of bombs have been found in Murshidabad last year. Bombs are used in elections, ranging from panchayat to assembly and Lok Sabha. Last year, 35 bombs were found near the pond in Murshidabad on the repolling day of the panchayat elections. Likewise, there were reports of bombings on the day of the first voting phase. Bombs were also found outside the house of a BJP worker.