Will take all steps to control situation, ensure no repeat of violence: West Bengal Governor

Bose met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday evening, and reportedly gave him a report on the violence. Sources said he was also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu.

At least 18 people were killed in the polling for the West Bengal panchayat elections held on Saturday. Repolling was conducted on Monday in nearly 700 polling booths of the total 70,000-odd.

Bose, who toured the violence-hit areas and did a round of polling booths on the day of the voting, has been critical of the Trinamool Congress government. The TMC has accused him of acting on behalf of the BJP.

On Monday, Bose said the violence in the Bengal polls was “a blot on the democratic fabric of Independent India… Even now the medieval practice of (achieving) one’s objective through brute force is practised and encouraged”.

Sources said Bose, who is staying at Banga Bhavan in Delhi, was visited by CRPF Director General Sujoy Lal Thaosen during the day. Central forces had been deployed to oversee the polling, on court orders. The Central forces coordinator and the State Election Commission have been blaming each other for the lapses in deployment, which was one reason that the violence went unchecked.

A source said that Thaosen’s visit was “sudden”, and could be an indication that the government was planning further action in the matter.

Bose said: “Violence does not augur well in a democracy. There is no distinction between ‘their violence’ or ‘our violence’ (referring to the parties blaming each other).”

He added: “During the elections, the police and the entire government machinery are under the State Election Commission, which is a constitutional authority. People are watching. Bengal expects everyone to do its duty. The fissures are out in the open, all efforts should be taken by all the stakeholders to ensure that free and fair elections are not a myth but a reality in India, which is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.”

However, the Governor refused to comment on whom he blamed for the violence. Asked if he thought he had the state government’s full support, he said: “I reserve my comments.”

On his visit to violence-hit areas in the run-up to polling, Bose said: “My Ground Zero visits were a fact-finding mission, not a fault-finding one. I could get the ground realities, it was a reality check. The information which I received and the insight I developed from the visits are all earth-earthy. The official reports are air-airy.”

Bose had started off in office on a good footing with the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, particularly given its strained ties with his predecessor, Jagdeep Dhankhar. However, the detente was brief.

On Monday, Bose lamented: “Violence is a reality in the state. It does not do anyone credit down the line.”