A parched earth and record 45-plus degrees in early April is but a small thing compared to the continuing violence perpetrated by the ruling Trinamool cadres on their opposition counterparts.
Regardless of the pre-poll posturing by the Election Commission and massive CRPF bandobast armed goons looted Opposition houses, burnt them down, broke their heads and even debarred them from having access to drinking water, desperate complaints coming from interior boondocks suggested.
From Pandaveshwar to Jamuria in Burdwan, to Nera Deul, Sabang and Danton in West Midnapur to Kandi in Murshidabad, luvpur in Birbhum and Balrampur in South Dinajpur, armed goons continued to go on rampage literally cocking a snook at the Central forces that clearly showed lack of intent and did confined its duty of area domination along the highways only.
Curiously overruling the repeated Opposition complaints State Chief Electoral Officer had earlier said that Monday’s elections were peaceful, free and fair.
The whole village of Sattor in Jamuria was blockaded by the TMC men who burnt down houses and smashed the lone tubewell that fetches water to an 800-plus strong community. “Our men have fled the village and we are dying of thirst with our children as there is no water. It is 45 degrees. Our fault is we had ignored their threat and gone to vote. The police are sitting outside the village and waiting for orders from above,” said a local school teacher refusing to share one’s name.
At New Egra in Raniganj, TMC goons clashed with the BJP workers leaving many injured. “This will continue for many weeks and if they come back to power they will extract fines worth lakhs from us” said a local.
Alleged Trinamool men shot at a BJP leader at Balrampur but he escaped unhurt, party sources said. At Kandi in Murshidabad a Congress worker committed suicide following police harassment at the behest of Trinamool leaders. “They wanted my son to join the TMC but he would not,” said Md Ali the victim’s father.
“It is like a hell you cannot sleep in the nights and cannot go to work. You do not know where your men folk are hiding. What will happen to us if the Trinamool comes back to powerIJ They will stop our ration and water and break the limbs of our men,” said Bila Ruidas from Pandaveshwar.
Incidentally Mamata had earlier gone on record saying that “earlier we had said that we will not go for revenge. But now we will take account of everything inch by inch.”