Will we ever see a Bengal election without violence?
By NewsGram Staff Writer
From the first light of independence, the elections in Bengal have been an affair filled with violence, protests and poll rigging. The new Trinamool Congress government which came up with a slogan of 'Badla noy bodol chai', acted in a same manner like the previous governments.
The election of Kolkata Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) started with a bomb blast in Metiaburuz, and as the day progressed, the news of booth capturing and violence was reported from several parts of the Kolkata and its nearby areas. Incidents of violence were also reported in Ganguly Bagan, Baghajatin, Kankurgachi, Kasba, Metiaburiuz.
In central Kolkata, at ward number 36, three shots were fired at the CPI(M) contestant Faud Halim. The rigging and booth capturing were reported in ward no. 36, 55, 101, 111, 121, 96, 75, 77, 82 and 89 respectively.
In an another incident at Beniapukur (North Kolkata), a Congress polling agent was arrested for breaking the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) machine.
Even after so many cases of violence, the West Bengal State Election Commission was in a denial mode and said that the election process was peaceful.
Sabyasachi Ghosh, Special duty officer of West Bengal State Election Commission, told NewsGram, "We have received reports of polling agents being stopped and other small incidents. The election process so far is peaceful."