Coochbehar: The arrival of the fact-finding committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Cooch Behar, located in North Bengal, on Friday marks a significant step towards investigating the outbreak of violence during the recent elections. Comprised of five distinguished members, including the esteemed party MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, the committee will embark on a journey encompassing Dinhata in Coochbehar, as well as other areas within the state that have been affected by the unfortunate incidents.
Making their way to Kolkata on Wednesday, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and the esteemed fact-finding team, appointed by the party, aim to visit the regions plagued by violence and extend their support to the victims. Following their visit, a comprehensive report will be diligently prepared and submitted to the honorable party president, JP Nadda, shedding light on the ground realities.
In response to these developments, West Bengal's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, denounces the fact-finding team, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, as a provocation committee orchestrated by the BJP. In a poignant question posed to them, she asks, "Where were these teams and committees when Manipur was ablaze and thousands of innocent lives were lost in Uttar Pradesh under the guise of encounters?" She emphasizes that no such teams have visited the aforementioned places. However, over the past two years, 154 teams have made their way to Bengal, a notable observation.
Prior to these events, the Bharatiya Janata Party constituted a five-member fact-finding committee in response to the widespread violence that marred the Panchayat elections in the state. Speaking on the matter, Ravi Shankar Prasad questions the necessity of over 40 individuals losing their lives during the gram panchayat election. He further highlights the conspicuous silence maintained by those attempting to forge an alliance against Narendra Modi. The committee intends to conduct thorough visits to the affected areas and present their comprehensive report to the President. Prasad expresses hope that the Mamata government will grant them permission to carry out their assessment.
The West Bengal panchayat polls took place on July 8, but the voting day was overshadowed by rampant violence, incidents of ballot paper looting, and rigging. Numerous districts, including Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur, and Nadia, witnessed acts of booth capturing, ballot box damage, and assaults on presiding officers. Disturbing reports emerged, recounting instances of ballot boxes being set ablaze and clashes erupting between political parties in various locations.
In West Bengal, there exist 3,341 gram panchayats, with a total of 58,594 village panchayat election centers. At the Gram Panchayat level, there are 63,239 seats, while Panchayat Samiti comprises 9,730 seats, and the Zila Parishad possesses 928 seats.
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The upcoming Panchayat polls are expected to witness a resounding victory for the Trinamool Congress (TMC). In 2018, the TMC claimed an uncontested victory in 34 percent of the seats in the panchayat elections, an event marked by several instances of violence.