CPI(M) slams violence in W Bengal civic polls

The CPI(M) today condemned the violence and booth-capturing during municipal polls in West Bengal and asked the Election Commission to take note saying it would be necessary to take lessons and make adequate arrangements for the 2016 state assembly elections.
Terming the violent incidents yesterday as "blatant attack on democracy", the party Politburo said these polls were "a total mockery of democracy" as people, who turned up with great enthusiasm, "were met with political workers and armed hooligans representing the Trinamool Congress who denied them the right to a free and fair election."
"Polling booths were captured, opposition parties agents driven out and voting manipulated. A small contingent of central forces sent on the eve of the election were not deployed by the state government and instead sent for sight-seeing. This is a blot on Indian democracy," it alleged.

Noting that in various parts of the state there was "widespread people's resistance against such display of muscle power and manipulation of the democratic process", it said many were injured and some are critical and are admitted to various hospitals in the state.
The CPI(M) "calls upon the people of West Bengal who have a tradition of fighting against such authoritarian terror and who established a record of restoring democracy through people's struggles to resist such attacks on democracy by the Trinamool Congress in the state."
The Election Commission of India "must review these developments, though these fall under the purview of the State Election Commission and the state government.

"This is necessary to learn lessons and prepare for adequate arrangements when the state assembly elections are held in 2016," the CPI(M) Politburo said.