The riots in West Bengal can be directly attributed to the frustrations of people on both sides and also to political plots to fuel them further. In the recent past, there has been no sign of development in the state. Goons are allowed to loot, minorities are given all sorts of advantages, and Muslim migrants choose the state for safe haven. Education and health prospects are meager. Apart from this, they are being radicalized by fundamentalist elements of their community. If it were not for this reason, there would not have been a communal riot for just a Facebook post, and that too by a juvenile.
Earlier, it was the BJP that used to play the communal card. The minority religious fundamentalists of west Bengal are followers of Trinamool, and less action is taken against them (since they are TMC’s vote bank). The kind of appeasement politics has long been a source of irritation for Hindus dwelling there, which made the situation blow out of proportion. The situation should be brought under control through proper law and order. Using communal riots as a case for gaining votes is the biggest curse. The real reason for the violence in West Bengal is that politics has captured every aspect of life. Say jobs, construction, education, everything, and event cinema. That is the reason whoever is in power gets the power to rule these sectors as well.
It is sad to say, but it is the Bengalis themselves who have brought politics into everything. Politicians just used them to their advantage. This political culture must be stopped. Whoever forms the government should pull politics out of every part of life. People get very serious here with politics, and this is the reason for violence. Violence broke out between two groups when a Ram Navami procession was taken out in West Bengal’s Howrah city, where several vehicles were torched and shops were ransacked if something was not planned. The police detained many youths in this connection. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have shared videos as evidence to show who is responsible for the violence.
A large police force was deployed following the violence between two groups. They had gone on a rampage, burning vehicles, throwing stones, and damaging shops. The BJP shared videos showing some men vandalizing shops and throwing stones at the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the police. In the videos shared by the Trinamool Congress, the party of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, red circles are drawn over some men to highlight them as they are seen holding guns and other weapons at the Ram Navami procession, which allegedly took an “unauthorized route to target and attack one community, according to her. She believes the BJP is instigating violence in Bengal.
Meanwhile, Bengal BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari meets the Union Home Minister in Delhi and then returns to Kolkata. He holds a public meeting the next day and says, “Watch TV tomorrow.” The next day there were riots again. The BJP approaches the high court seeking a probe by the National Investigation Agency, a central body, as they want to avoid being investigated in the state to “escape action”. They know they will be caught if the probe happens here. Whereas the BJP says if the probe happens in a state, then the ruling party will try its best to blame the BJP and its workers. Frankly speaking, at this hour, there is no point in talking about investigations because this is not the first incident of communal violence. And there has been no concrete investigation of previous violent incidents.
The Home Minister called Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar to assess the law and order situation after the Ram Navami clash, but he did not have any dialogue with the state government or its CM. The governor, who will soon be visiting the riot-hit areas, is believed to have given Shah details about the violence and the present situation. But how these visits are going to solve the burning communal issues in the state, no one knows.
On the other hand, Mamta Banerjee has accused the BJP of trying to stoke communal tension during the procession. She alleged the BJP had hired goons from other states to orchestrate communal riots. The BJP slammed Banerjee, stating that the “Hindus in Bengal are under threat,” and accused Ms. Banerjee, who is also the state’s home minister, of appeasement politics.
Currently in India, in the name of secularism, only appeasement and further communal politics are being played, and Didi is no different than the herd. She has been walking along the same path of secularism, or shall I say pseudo-secularism,” ever since she became the Chief Minister of the State. She has been trying to woo the Muslim voters by making symbolic gestures rather than any substantial improvements. She is afraid that if arrests are made and Muslim rioters end up in jail, she may see her “cherished” vote bank drift away from her. The situation has further worsened because of the continuous influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Mamata knows that the key to retaining her chair for the coming term is to have the Muslim voters on her side, and hence she comes up with different ideas to attain her objective. It has further enhanced the polarization of the state. When the nation has already witnessed a partition along communal lines where Bengal was ripped apart, is it really wise to air the communal feelings? India is already facing problems due to overpopulation. Is it smart to allow illegal immigrants to settle in India and lay claim to our resources? On the other hand, the BJP is also aiming to gain power in West Bengal, and they will never allow the state to settle in peace.
