Democracy is a system of governance in which the supreme power is vested in the people and is exercised by them directly or indirectly through free and fair elections held periodically. It is also a system where each one gets the right to express his/her views and participate in all desired activities provided these are peaceful. Contrast this with the recent spell of political violence in West Bengal immediately after the election results, allegedly perpetrated by the ‘karyakartas’ (workers) of Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Surprisingly, and it has been alleged, the state government, run by the winning party TMC and the police, have been silent spectators to such violence! These attacks, heinous and inhuman, are in defiance of the very pillars of democracy and secularism. As the state, press, police, and politicians remain silent spectators, social media must be applauded for displaying the ground reality with the visuals of the political violence. Considering that the recent political violence is a deviation from established democratic ethos, will the state leadership be successful in addressing the issue impartially? Will it be able to protect the democratic space?
West Bengal history is replete with instances of political violence. Not long ago, the Left Front government in West Bengal committed the mistake to remain silent, and in some cases participated, in political violence which ultimately led to its downfall in the State Assembly elections and the rise of TMC. As the popular support of the Left Front was on its wane in West Bengal, it did not hesitate to use police force to suppress any form of resistance. As a result, criminalisation and politicisation became the order of the day in the governance of West Bengal. Today, TMC and its party workers seem to be replicating the Left strategy by overlooking the post-poll violence.
What is worse is the lackadaisical attitude of a few national and international media that have failed to report the gross violation of human rights on account of the recent political violence. Such an attitude can be dangerous for democracy in general and humanity in particular since it demonstrates blatant biases based on ideology and political leanings. The media should realise that they are the ‘third space’ between the government and the citizens in a democratic setup.
Some facts and figures are germane to substantiate that such violence has been on the rise under the TMC pre and post-elections. As per reports in the media, in the run-up to the state assembly elections, more than 130 BJP workers had been killed by the TMC’s ‘goons’ for joining the BJP. Even before West Bengal entered the first phase of the state assembly elections, confrontations were visible between many politicians, including Central Minister Arjun Munda’s Prachar Yatra and the TMC karyakartas. In the post-election phase, their party offices across West Bengal have been vandalised and set ablaze.
Similarly, in the pre-election period, and according to a 2019 report by National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), West Bengal had reported the maximum number of political murders in the country under the TMC rule. Interestingly, and as stated in the NCRB’s report “the number is likely to increase after the state submits the revised numbers”. The above facts and figures testify to the criminalisation of the public domain under the patronage of the state and partisan police force.
The process of criminalisation in the public domain has diminished the scope for dissent and differences. It should be remembered that voice of dissent and respecting differences of views and opinions, irrespective of ideologies, are core principles on which democracy survives and thrives. More importantly, it is also necessary to understand that expressing dissent and differences is as much a right as a duty. Implied, while democracy provides everyone with the right to dissent and express differences to bring forth their grievances, it also enjoins the citizens’ duty to ensure that any actions to exercise these rights are peaceful. Contrarily and if the voice of differences is expressed through violent means, be it the party in power or opposition, then it is the duty of the government in power to prevent the violent acts with all possible measures to protect the very edifice of democracy.
While we rejoice over the fact that India is the largest democracy in the world, it is also important at the same time that we appreciate and accommodate multiple perspectives and ideological moorings! It is also the responsibility of the leadership, both central and state, to understand that the true spirit of democracy is: first, embedded in the right to freely elect the government and to vote it out of power in a legitimate manner by holding free and fair elections based on their performance; and second, to recognise that any form of violent public actions over election results, including inflicted by the karyakartas of the ruling party, is constitutionally illegitimate. Failure to do so will result in the emergence of undemocratic elements in a democratic space! With the conclusion of the swearing-in ceremony, it will now be interesting to see whether and how Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee endeavours to protect the democratic space!
The writer is Senior Researcher, Public Policy Research Centre (PPRC), New Delhi. The views expressed are personal.
If the voice of differences is expressed through violent means, be it the party in power or opposition, then it is the duty of the government in power to prevent the violent acts with all possible measures to protect the very edifice of democracy.