Democracy has no place for bloodshed. The spiral of violence in West Bengal following the announcement of assembly election results with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) being voted to power for the third time in a row is all the more deplorable because elections are at the heart of our democracy and reflect its strength and vitality. In every contest, there are winners and losers but no outcome justifies unleashing of violence by either side against the other.
TV visuals of arson and other kinds of physical violence by alleged TMC supporters against BJP activists and sympathizers have left a bad taste in the mouth. There is no denying that the entire election campaign in the state was marked by acrimony and bitterness with leaders on both the sides turning it into a no-holds-barred contest. But that is not surprising in high-voltage contests such as the one that West Bengal saw. Mamata Banerjee was justified in going all out to retain her hold on the state that she has been ruling for nearly a decade now, and so were BJP stalwarts, including union home minister Amit Shah, in trying to snatch it away from her.
But the vital difference in such situations lies in the kind of means that leaders use to achieve their goals. Those who believe in the theory of everything being fair in love and war end up making grave mistakes that hurt not only their own interests in the long run but also the interests of the country and its democratic edifice. They ought to be reminded of Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on the purity of means.
Unfortunately, the present crop of politicians pays only lip service to the Mahatma and his thoughts. Had that not been the case, West Bengal would not have seen such massive violence in the wake of the just concluded polls in the state. The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to call up the governor of the state to take stock of what was happening in the state.
Banerjee on her part has appealed for peace and calm in the state while blaming the BJP for the violence. This was expected as she had constantly targeted the saffron party leadership even during the course of the campaign. TMC leaders had even questioned the role of the central forces deployed in the state to ensure peaceful polling. There were several reports of clashes between TMC and BJP workers during the campaign and during polling which was done in phases.
West Bengal has a history of post-poll violence but it does not augur well for our democracy. A healthy democracy presupposes a violence-free atmosphere. We all must strive towards this goal.
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