The All India Trinamool Congress leader, Kunal Ghosh, has accused the Opposition of conspiring against the state of West Bengal, after the Supreme Court refused to get involved in the Calcutta High Court’s verdict on the deployment of central forces for the upcoming panchayat (local government) elections. Ghosh argued that the Opposition was taking inappropriate steps to force central deployment, despite only a few booths experiencing disturbances. Ghosh assured reporters that the people of West Bengal would vote for the Trinamool Congress.
The West Bengal government and the West Bengal State Election Commission made a plea to the Supreme Court regarding the deployment of central forces, and the court has now rejected the plea, questioning the appropriateness of election violence in the state. A lawyer representing the state pointed to the volatile situation and noted that forces could be deployed from neighbouring states if necessary. Ahead of the panchayat elections, the state has witnessed continuous clashes, including bomb incidents and a TMC worker recently beaten to death.
The elections will occur on July 8, and the result will serve as a gauge of public opinion ahead of the Lok Sabha elections of 2024. The ruling Trinamool Congress is in for a fierce fight with Bharatiya Janata Party.
The state also saw a controversy on Tuesday, as Governor CV Ananda Bose decided to celebrate the state’s foundation day at Raj Bhavan, which no state government officials attended. Kunal Ghosh condemned the Governor’s decision, insisting he was distorting history and insulting Bengal. The Governor commemorated the state’s foundation as the ‘West Bengal Divas,’ which the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee disputed, suggesting the state has never celebrated, commemorated, or rejoiced about founding day. The CM criticised the Governor for not responding to her letters.
