CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said the West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) will be seen as complicit in the ruling Trinamool Congress’ “project of destroying democracy” if it does not act to restore faith in the electoral process. The CPI(M) will fight alongside the people to restore democracy and normalcy, Yechury added as reports came in of several persons being killed and many injured in violence during the Panchayat polls in the State.
“No condemnation is strong enough to denounce the barbarity which West Bengal is witnessing today to ensure TMC’s project of capturing cent per cent of elected panchayat bodies of the state. Despite the forcible capture of 34 per cent of the seats uncontested, the heinous attempts to capture the rest are in full swing.
The blood-curdling and gruesome incident where a couple of comrades (Debu Das and his wife Usha Das) of our Party have been burnt to death in Budhakhali GP, booth No. 213 in Namkhana block under Kakdweep PS of South 24 Parganas district,” Yechury said accusing ruling TMC for unleashing violence.
“The scale of violence makes it very clear that free and fair poll is impossible with such active involvement of the TMC-led administration. What is being played out has been also noted strongly by both the Kolkata High Court and the Supreme Court. However, none of the specific directions by the judiciary were implemented by those who are responsible for security management.
The role of the State Election Commission has been obnoxious and the distinction between the TMC, the state government and the SEC has been completely obliterated. The Election Commission of West Bengal must act to restore faith in the process.
Else it will be seen as complicit in TMC’s project of destroying democracy. Allowing TMC to get away with throttling democracy has implications well beyond West Bengal,” Yechury added