New Delhi: Prudence or Populism, what should get precedence in a democracy ?
The Election Commission of India, popularly known as Nirvachan Sadan is in news obviously in the election season, but at times also for wrong reasons and some of it not its making.
Thanks to the political class. The same netas and that include women political heavyweights too - who once favoured EVMs, now say there would be tampering. The same stalwarts who demanded central forces, now say these men and women in khaki and olive green are backing the saffron political outfit.
Well, politics is not the last place where one should look for grace. In this year's election season in West Bengal, we have a slogan 'khela hobey' and the state's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who created 'her story (read alongside history)' in 2011, is often seen throwing a football in poll rallies. She has termed EC 'partial' and also has received two notices so far - one for 'Muslim appeal' and the other for urging women voters to gherao central forces deployed in poll duty in her state.
The polling in Cooch Behar was marred and some people lost lives in firing from central forces "in self defence". The EC has slapped a 72-hour ban on politicians from entering the district. This has not gone well with those who prefer populism in politics.
To quote a Siliguri-based educationist in North Bengal, Ramakanto Shanyal, "Sadly but it is true, the Election Commission continues to become political football as electioneering in my state is lost in slander and hate speeches and violence".
Of course, this is not the first time the poll panel has come under attack or got itself embroiled in controversies.
There is also a new fashion statement by possible losers. In 2019 parliamentary polls, the Congress did it and started blaming EVMs even before polling in key states were over. Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress party are doing the same thing this time. In 2009, even a section in the BJP had done so. Truth and people's mandate are often bitter but they need to be accepted.
The poll panel is now again under focus, especially in West Bengal where the BJP is aggressively aiming to oust Mamata Banerjee. The spate of violence in West Bengal polls this summer despite eight-phase polling schedule would make things appear cool in militancy-strong hold states such as Jammu and Kashmir (in nineties), or even Bihar in the 1980s and thereafter under Lalu Prasad regime.
It may be mentioned here that T N Seshan as the Chief Election Commissioner in 1993 banned a huge number of candidates from contesting for three years. These candidates did not show their daily poll-related expenses.
Seshan was of course the first highly controversial CEC, who displayed the real teeth of the building called Nirvachan Sadan.
A rattled Congress regime under P V Narasimha Rao made the EC with multi-members.
GVG Krishnamurthy and M S Gill were brought in as two other Election Commissioners and the system of 2-1 division ruling (decision) was set in. Despite being the 'chief', Seshan was reduced to a minority status. This issue was debated at later stages too.
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| Mass Muslim appeal: The ISF factor |
"When the Supreme Court delivers a 2:1 verdict, you do not say there was bias, similarly the EC decisions should be accepted," GVG Krishnamurthy once said. Even this incumbent CEC Sunil Arora and his tenure has been bogged into controversies. In 2019, Arora and his colleague Sushil Chandra were on one side while there was a dissent note from fellow Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa.
The issue in question was giving clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Lavasa later quit to join Asian Development Bank as a vice president.
In fact, be became only the second election commissioner to step down from the poll panel before completion of his term. He gave up the chance to become CEC. The last time an election commissioner resigned was in 1973 when chief election commissioner Nagendra Singh was appointed a judge in the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
There were other controversies too.
As the CEC, N Gopalaswami had his differences with EC Navin Chawla, a controversial bureaucrat known for Congress connections, and Gopalaswami had written to the Manmohan Singh government for his dismissal.
The incumbent CEC Sunil Arora and his team are now into focus from West Bengal's perspective.
But the sad part of the entire story is Indian political class in general are a class apart and as individual leaders and parties none takes a notice from the Election Commission seriously.
On receipt of the first notice, Mamata Banerjee chose to scream at a poll rally, "they may serve me ten notices....".
Sometime back under Seshan and those murky days of Indian politics, it was presumed that multi-phased of polling can scale down violence and ensure free and fair elections. The 'Bengal battle' of 2021 has proved things otherwise.
So far there have been about half a dozen killings if not more directly linked to polls and as many as 33 election candidates have been individually assaulted in Bengal.
No wonder, actress and BJP nominee from Uluberia Dakshin Papia Adhikari, when assaulted in a hospital last week had said, "...politics is no longer for good people".
There is a widely held belief that all these do not augur well for democracy.
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EC slaps 72-hour ban on politicians from entering Cooch Behar
New Delhi: The Election Commission on April 10, Saturday imposed a 72-hour ban on politicians of all parties from entering West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, wherein four people were killed and seven injured in a firing by central security forces.
Apart from the entry ban, the Election Commission has also enhanced the "silence period" from 48 hours to 72 hours for the fifth phase of the West Bengal Assembly election.
Polling for the fifth phase will be held on April 17.
PM condoles casualties in Cooch Behar firing
Siliguri: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condoled the death of four people in firing by central forces in poll-related violence at Cooch Behar in West Bengal and blamed Trinamool Congress for the sad happening.
"Didi has stooped to this level as she can see her chair slipping away. This violence and the tactic of instigating people to attack the central security forces and attempts to obstruct the polling process will not protect you. You have to go out of power (after defeat in the polls)," the Prime Minister said.
“What happened in Cooch Behar is very saddening. My sympathies are with the families of those who died, I condole their demise. Didi and her goons are perturbed, seeing the people's support for BJP".
Addressing an election rally in Siliguri, not far from Cooch Behar, Modi urged the Election Commission to take stern action against those responsible for the incident.
"What happened in Cooch Behar is unfortunate and sad," he said and also accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of having instigated people against the central forces.
The Prime Minister said for a long ten years as the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee was not angry nor took steps against violence and arsonists. "But today, she is angry with the central security forces," he said.
"During this ongoing festival of democracy (that is elections), you Didi have become a cause of people's tear," the Prime Minister said.
"I extend my condolences to the bereaved families and request the Election Commission to take stern action against those responsible for the incident. Mamata Didi and her Trinamool goons have become jittery because of the enhanced support base for the BJP," Modi said.
Four persons were reportedly killed when CISF personnel opened fire after locals and Trinamool workers, "attempted to snatch their rifles".
The incident took place in the Sitalkuchi area when voting was underway, a senior district police officer said.
"Didi is asking people to attack and gherao security forces who are here to protect the rights of the people of the state," the Prime Minister said.
Mr Modi further said, "The Central forces oversee elections across the nation. They have overseen polls in four states peacefully. The problem is not with the Central forces, the problem is your violent politics. The problem is stopping 'Chhappa votes".
The Prime Minister said people of Bengal have made up their mind to oust the TMC dispensation which has earned a name for itself as a 'tolabazi party'.
The Prime Minister also said North Bengal was critical to national security which has been undermined due to appeasement politics of Mamata Banerjee.
He asserted, “I saw a video on social media. In it, the tourism minister of Bengal who is close to Didi is threatening the people of the state, saying if people voted for BJP, people will be thrown out of the Bengal. Will you accept this language, such sorts of threats?”
Reports said the central forces had to open fire as the Quick Response Team had tried to intervene and control group clashes.
Earlier, one BJP worker was killed in the locality.
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Four die in Bengal fourth phase polling day
New Delhi/Kolkata: The fourth phase of polling in West Bengal has been marred by intense group clashes and violence.
At least four people were killed and four people were injured in Cooch Behar in North Bengal.
"Our Booth Agent in Panchla Booth No. 185 has been brutally attacked by CRPF today! The active suppression of democratic rights by Central Forces as the @ECISVEEP remains a mute spectator is totally NOT acceptable. We want strict action and we want it now!" --- Trinamool Congress tweeted.
According to initial reports, the central forces had to open fire when they tried to stop clashes between two rival groups resulting in the death of three people.
All three were claimed to be Trinamool Congress supporters. "The Quick Response Team in booth No. 126 swung into action to calm things," a source said adding Special Police Observer Vivek Dubey has been provided with a ground report from Cooch Behar.
The 1981 batch IPS officer hails from Andhra Pradesh cadre.
Some poll officials and security personnel were also attacked and it was given out that security forces opened fire as self defence measures.
BJP leader Pranab Roy said the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should be 'blamed' for such unfortunate incidents as she had herself instigated people against the central forces.
Immediate actions ought to be taken by the Election Commission in the manner Trinamool Congress supremo was undertaking her campaign and trying to target the central forces.
It is worth mentioning that the Election Commission has already served a notice to Mamata Banerjee and took exception to her campaign speeches wherein she has tried to drag the central security personnel in the election row and urged 'women voters' to gherao them if necessary.
Earlier in the day, one BJP worker, Ananda Barman was killed allegedly by Trinamool workers. The Election Commission has separately sought a report on this as well, sources said.
Barman was reportedly attacked as he was standing in a queue outside a polling booth in the Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency in Cooch Behar. Trinamool has fielded Partha Pratim Ray against Baren Chandra Barman of BJP.
The Sitalkuchi assembly constituency was held by Hiten Barman of Trinamool Congress in the outgoing House.
"Heart wrenching reports of 5 innocent people shot dead by Central Forces coming in from Cooch Behar," Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee tweeted.
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