West Bengal 2021 Post Poll Violence
Date
2 May 2021 – June 2021
Location
West Bengal
MethodsMurder, Rape, Arson

Violence occurred in the aftermath of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, which the ruling Trinamool Congress won for a third consecutive term.

Major events

Politically motivated violence in West Bengal took place since before the 2021 West Bengal elections.

In June 2019, 2 Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers were killed in Bengal. The party had blamed Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) for it.[1]

Indian Home Minister and BJP member Amit Shah said that more than 300 BJP members were killed due to the political violence as of December 2020 and that "investigation in those cases hasn't moved an inch".[2]

After the announcement of results of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, declaring that the incumbent Trinamool Congress government would be returning to power for the third time, violence broke out in some parts of West Bengal.[3][4][5] In reality it was continuation of the violence which took place across the state during the election.[6]

The BJP claimed that at least six of its workers were killed during attacks by workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress.[7] Five TMC workers were also allegedly killed in these attacks.[8][9] The governor summoned the Director of General Police and Kolkata Police Commissioner to discuss the situation.[10] Congress leader Jitin Prasada alleged that Congress members were attacked and even women and children weren't spared from the attacks by TMC. He called out Mamata Banerjee to stop this violence immediately.[11][12][13] Leaders of CPI (M) alleged that their workers had also been attacked by the TMC.[14] In Khanakul, a TMC worker was reportedly hacked to death.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs sought a report from the Government of West Bengal over incidents of post-election brutality against opposition political workers in the state.[15]

Udayan Guha, TMC candidate from Dinhata and former Dinhata MLA was attacked by miscreants in Dinhata on 6 May. Guha suffered a hand fracture and other injuries.[16] TMC blamed BJP for this attack. FIR was lodged against 15 men and among them 4 were arrested by 10 May.[17] Nearly one month after undergoing surgery, Guha returned to Dinhata from Kolkata. He questioned the role of the police, as those accused in the attack on him were still elusive.[18]

On 5 May, after taking oath as the Chief Minister for a third term, Mamata Banerjee reinstated state police officers who were transferred by the Election Commission.[19] On 10 May, a five-judge special bench of Calcutta High Court expressed satisfaction over the action taken by the newly formed Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal to restore normality after post-results violence in pockets of the state.[20]

Senior minister in Assam government Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that hundreds of BJP worker's families had crossed the West Bengal-Assam border to seek shelter in Assam away from the violence against them. He called this violence as "ugly dance of Democracy".[21][22]

Many women, including a minor girl, were allegedly raped by TMC workers as their family members voted against them. Allegedly, a 60-year-old woman was raped and her daughter-in-law was beaten up by TMC goons; their account moved to Supreme court.[23]

In September 2021, Manas Saha, BJP candidate from Magrahat who was allegedly beaten up by TMC workers and sustained serious head trauma died in hospital and BJP demanded a CBI probe into the issue.[24][25]

In May, a BJP worker had died due to Cardiac arrest and TMC workers helped his family cremate him but BJP workers did not even respond to help pleas. There were multiple other instances where after the natural death of BJP workers, TMC workers and leaders helped them to cremate or bury them respectfully.[26][27][28][29][30]

In Bankra Mishra Para in Domjur, defector BJP workers were purified by sprinkling Ganga water in the presence of the Trinamool MLA Kalyan Ghosh himself before joining TMC which attracted criticism from BJP.[31][32] Another 200 members from BJP who had joined the party shortly before the elections rejoined the TMC claiming that "BJP wasn't on their side in the day of danger" and returned to their TMC.[33]

In an organizational meeting of the BJP, two factions of the party clashed with each other in the presence of Dilip Ghosh and Sukanta Majumdar. The protesters alleged that the state BJP leadership did not come to their rescue when they were assaulted by TMC workers in post-poll violence.[34]

As of April 2022, at least 303 BJP workers and local leaders who left Bengal in 2021 were yet to return to their homes. They were waiting for state's assurances before moving back.[35]

Investigation

The BJP leadership of East Burdwan had submitted a list to the police demanding the return of refugee workers of their party. According to police sources, most of the people mentioned in the lists, provided by the BJP in each police station in the district, have been sent back to their home. DSP (Headquarters) Souvik Patra said "There are many on the list who have gone out (of the state) for work. They works all year in the outlying states. They have also been included in this list. It is being represented as if they are not able to return home." Aminul Islam Khan, SDPO of South Burdwan (Sadar), said "Those who do not want to return home are also being put on the list of refugee people."[36]

BJP members had also brought an elderly man, who had gone to attend his grandson's initiation ceremony, to the National Human Rights Commission in Kolkata.[37]

BJP alleged that their workers had been tortured by TMC activists of Bhagabanpur constituency in Purba Medinipur. But it was later learned that in reality TMC supporters were oppressed by BJP workers under the influence of Rabindranath Maity, BJP MLA of the said constituency.[38][39] A huge crowd attended TMC's rally in Bhagabanpur on 10 July to protest against BJP, state irrigation minister Somen Mahapatra calling it a "reign of terror".[40]

Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee, revealed before the United States Senate that RSS users, groups and pages had used Facebook to spread violence and communal unrest across West Bengal by promoting anti-Muslim narratives on the platform.[41][42][43][44]

On 3 January 2022, the CBI rejected 21 cases of molestation and rape after it failed to gather enough evidence. But it continues to investigate 39 cases of rape and molestation, 52 cases of murder or unnatural death and has submitted 10 charge sheets for murders/unnatural deaths.[45][46][47] On 28 January 2022, 7 people were sent to judicial custody for 14 days for conspiring and murdering BJP worker Manik Moitra during the post poll violence. The CBI had earlier filed a charge sheet against six accused in the case.[48][49]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/trinamool-congress-workers-killed-bengal-bjp-tmc-clash-1543557-2019-06-06
  2. ↑ https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/more-than-300-bjp-workers-killed-in-bengal-amit-shah/story-m04nCLHfJdsAlWoHu2pHJO.html
  3. ↑ Srinivasan, Chandrashekar, ed. (August 19, 2021). "Bengal Post-Poll Violence: CBI, Special Team To Probe Cases, Says Court". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  4. ↑ Singh, Shiv Sahay (August 19, 2021). "Calcutta High Court orders CBI, SIT probes into Bengal post-poll violence". The Hindu. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021 – via www.thehindu.com.
  5. ↑ "West Bengal post poll violence: CBI to probe murder and rape cases, Calcutta High Court says". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  6. ↑ Chatterjee, Tanmay (2021-04-02). "A look back at the history of Bengal's political violence". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
  7. ↑ "Many claimed dead in post-poll violence in Bengal, Centre, Guv seek report, Mamata appeals for calm". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  8. ↑ Bhattacharya, Snigdhendu (2021-05-05). "Here's How BJP Bengal Unit President Dilip Ghosh Created Grounds For Post-Poll Violence". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  9. ↑ "Violence in West Bengal: 11 killed in Bengal post-poll violence, Centre seeks report". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  10. ↑ "Bengal Governor raises concern over post-poll violence, summons top police officials". ANI News. Archived from the original on 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  11. ↑ "No Place For Violence, Mamata Banerjee Should Stop It: Congress". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  12. ↑ Ghosh, Himadri (5 May 2021). "Bengal: How BJP Leaders Used Fake News to Build a Communal Narrative on Post-Poll Violence". The Wire. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "No place for violence in democracy, Mamata Banerjee should control it: Congress". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  14. ↑ "West Bengal violence live: Cong, Left slam post-poll violence 'unleashed by TMC'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  15. ↑ "MHA seeks report on post-poll violence in Bengal". Hindustan Times. 2021-05-04. Archived from the original on 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  16. ↑ Bhattacharya, Ananya (May 6, 2021). "TMC leader Udayan Guha attacked in Dinhata, party blames BJP". India Today. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  17. ↑ "উদয়নের উপর হামলায় মূল অভিযুক্তরা অধরা, গ্রেপ্তারের দাবিতে সরব তৃণমূল". bartamanpatrika.com (in Bengali). 11 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  18. ↑ "দিনহাটায় ফিরলেন উদয়ন". classified.bartamanpatrika.com (in Bengali). 5 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  19. ↑ Ghosh, Dwaipayan (May 6, 2021). "Mamata Banerjee news: On Day 1 in office, Didi brings back cops EC had transferred". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  20. ↑ Chattoraj, Subrata; Ghosh, Dwaipayan (2021-05-11). "Bengal: HC 'appreciates' state's efforts to stem post-poll violence". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2021-05-11. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  21. ↑ Nath, Hemanta Kumar (May 5, 2021). "BJP workers flee Bengal amid post-poll violence, seek shelter in Assam". India Today. Archived from the original on 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  22. ↑ "Around 400 BJP Workers Have Fled Bengal & Entered Assam Out Of Fear: Minister Himanta Sarma". news.abplive.com. 2021-05-04. Archived from the original on 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  23. ↑ Mathur, Aneesha (2021-07-14). "Bengal rape survivors of post-poll violence narrate horror, move Supreme Court". India Today. Archived from the original on 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  24. ↑ "Bengal BJP candidate hurt in post-poll violence succumbs". The Statesman. 2021-09-23. Archived from the original on 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  25. ↑ Nag, Jayatri. "BJP leader, who was attacked on counting day during Bengal polls, succumbs to injuries". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  26. ↑ Mondal, Pranab (10 May 2021). "Trinamool workers help cremate BJP leader as saffron camp looks away". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  27. ↑ Sarkar, Tiyasha (May 4, 2021). "Bengal Polls 2021 : ত্রাতা কুণাল ঘোষ, ভোট পরবর্তী হিংসায় ঘরছাড়া বিজেপি কর্মীদের ঘরে ফেরালেন". Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  28. ↑ "মিষ্টিমুখ করিয়ে বিজেপি কর্মীদের দোকান খুলে দিল তৃণমূল". TV9 Bangla. 7 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  29. ↑ Rakshit, Abhisek (May 8, 2021). "করোনা আতঙ্কে এগিয়ে এলেন না কেউ, BJP নেতার শেষকৃত্য সারলেন তৃণমূল কর্মীরাই". Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  30. ↑ "উলটপুরাণ! বর্ধমানে ঘরছাড়া BJP কর্মীদের বাড়ি ফেরালেন তৃণমূল নেতা". Zee24Ghanta.com (in Bengali). 9 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  31. ↑ Seal, Kishore (25 June 2021). "BJP কর্মীদের গঙ্গাজল ছিটিয়ে ঘরে ফেরালেন তৃণমূল বিধায়ক". eisamay.indiatimes.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  32. ↑ "Domjur BJP Workers Join TMC:ঘরে গঙ্গাজল ছিটিয়ে তৃণমূলে ফিরলেন হাওড়ার ডোমজুড়ের ৩৫ জন বিজেপি কর্মী". bengali.abplive.com (in Bengali). 25 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  33. ↑ "ঘরে ফিরলেন ৩০০ বিজেপি কর্মী, যোগ তৃণমূল কংগ্রেসের". bartamanpatrika.com (in Bengali). 12 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  34. ↑ Nath, Sujit (22 October 2021). "'No One Came To Our Rescue': Protests Erupt amid Bengal BJP Meet Aimed at Stopping Defections". News18. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  35. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/west-bengal-post-poll-violence-victims-bjp-workers-fear-return-home-1941017-2022-04-23
  36. ↑ "বহু পরিযায়ী শ্রমিকের নাম ঘরছাড়াদের তালিকায় | পূর্ব বর্ধমানে কাঠগড়ায় বিজেপি নেতৃত্ব". bartamanpatrika.com (in Bengali). 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  37. ↑ "লক্ষ্য কমিশনের কাছে 'অত্যাচারিত'র সংখ্যা বাড়িয়ে দেখানো | নাতির উপনয়নে আসা প্রৌঢ়কেও কলকাতায় নিয়ে গেল বিজেপি". bartamanpatrika.com (in Bengali). 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  38. ↑ "ঘরছাড়া বহু তৃণমূল নেতা, বিজেপির বিরুদ্ধে জরিমানা আদায় | ভগবানপুরে কাঠগড়ায় বিজেপি". Bartaman (in Bengali). 18 April 2021. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  39. ↑ "ভূপতিনগরে তৃণমূল নেতার বাড়িতে বোমা-বন্দুক নিয়ে হামলা বিজেপির". Bartaman (in Bengali). 26 June 2021. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  40. ↑ "'সন্ত্রাস করতে এলে পাল্টা সন্ত্রাস' ভূপতিনগরে বিজেপিকে হুঁশিয়ারি মন্ত্রী সৌমেন মহাপাত্রের". Bartaman (in Bengali). 11 July 2021. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  41. ↑ "RSS, West Bengal and Duplicate Accounts: What the Facebook Whistleblower Complaint Touches Upon". The Wire. 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  42. ↑ "Facebook aware of anti-Muslim content in India, but took little action, alleges whistleblower". Scroll.in. 6 October 2021. Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  43. ↑ "বাংলায় হিংসার বার্তা ছড়ানোর কারিগর সঙ্ঘ | মার্কিন সেনেটে বিস্ফোরক তথ্য পেশ". Bartaman (in Bengali). 7 October 2021. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  44. ↑ "RSS groups, pages promote anti-Muslim narratives: Facebook whistleblower". The News Minute. 7 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  45. ↑ "Post Poll Violence: ভোট পরবর্তী অশান্তির ২১টি ধর্ষণ-অভিযোগের প্রমাণ মেলেনি, হাই কোর্টে জানাল সিবিআই". Anandabazar Patrika Online (in Bengali). 3 January 2022. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  46. ↑ "West Bengal post-poll violence: CBI sends back 21 cases of molestation and rape to state formed SIT after failing to gather enough evidence". The Free Press Journal. 3 January 2022. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  47. ↑ Pandey, Devesh K. (2022-01-04). "Investigating 39 cases of rape, attempt to rape during Bengal post-poll violence: CBI to HC". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  48. ↑ Pabdet, Chandra (January 28, 2022). "West Bengal post-poll violence: CBI arrests 7 for BJP worker's murder, sent to judicial custody till Feb 11". India Today. Archived from the original on 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  49. ↑ "West Bengal post-poll violence: Seven held by CBI in BJP worker's death case". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2022-01-29. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
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