Lok Sabha polls 2019: Violence marred fourth phase of general election in West Bengal
Voters - fourth phase
The fourth phase of Lok Sabha election in West Bengal was marred by violence on Monday.As many as eight seats in West Bengal - Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Berhampore, Bolpur, Birbhum, Asansol, Burdwan East and Burdwan Durgapur went to polls in the fourth phase today.
While several seats witnessed peaceful polls, constituencies like Bolpur, Birbhum and Asansol witnessed sporadic cases of violence.
The first incident came to light in the first hours of polling in Jemua in Asansol constituency. Voters threatened to boycott polls after getting to know that the state police, instead of the central paramilitary force, were deployed at the polling booths.
“We do not have confidence on state police. We will not cast our votes till the central force jawans are deployed. Not just us but villages after villages have agreed to boycott polls if the Election Commission does not deploy central forces. We were intimated during the panchayat polls, we cannot allow this to be repeated this time,” said a villager.
Immediately after, the locals started agitating, demanding deployment of central forces. The incident took a violent turn when Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters clashed with each other. The police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse agitating Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters. Several supporters on both sides were injured.
This apart, parts of Asansol witnessed sporadic instances of violence. Union minister and BJP candidate from Asansol Babul Supriyo reached a booth in Borabani after hearing reports of the BJP polling agent being thrown out of the polling booth. Supriyo got into a war of words with the TMC polling agent. Supriyo and media persons later came under attack, their vehicles were vandalised.
Later, the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal directed the police to register an FIR against Supriyo for intimidating the TMC polling agent. “I haven’t done anything wrong by behaving in that manner with the TMC polling agent. If he abuses me, if the TMC party attacks women and journalists, am I to keep quiet? I shall not do so. Even if I’m shown in poor light, I’ll continue to do this,” Supriyo said.
He further expressed unhappiness over the role of central forces on the poll day. “We are not happy with the role of the central force, as earlier we were told that there would be 100 per cent coverage and then suddenly late last night they reduced it to 96-98 per cent. We will be demanding repolls in several polling stations. I have spoken to Mukul da, we are preparing a list of where all we want repolls,” he said.
On the other hand, another incident stirred a major controversy where a central force jawan fired a bullet inside the polling booth to disperse agitating TMC and BJP supporters. While none were hurt in the incident, the bullet hit the ceiling of the polling booth.