On National Voters' Day, WB Guv warns Mamata govt against absence of political neutrality

On the occasion of National Voters Day, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar called on the government to ensure that voters are empowered, vigilant, safe, and informed in the poll-bound state. In an apparent dig at the Mamata Banerjee government, Dhankar said that the "atmosphere of fear created by the supreme stakeholder" must be overcome and that public servants must maintain political neutrality during elections.

"Atmosphere of fear for voters, (created by) the supreme stakeholder, must be overcome. Absence of political neutrality would be culpable leading to consequences," the Governor said in a tweet, tagging the Bengal Police and the state Home Ministry. 

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Unrest in Bengal ahead of polls

The state of West Bengal has witnessed an uptick in the incidents of 'political violence' over the past couple of months in the run-up for assembly elections due in April-May this year. 

With political parties apprehending unrest in the poll-bound state, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said on Friday that the election panel has zero-tolerance to money and muscle power and misuse of the government machinery. The CEC also said no civic police volunteers will be deployed for the polling exercise. 

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Claiming that West Bengal is witnessing political violence ahead of elections, opposition parties have urged the EC to ensure that free and fair polls are held in the state.

The full bench of the ECI, which is currently in the state to review preparedness for the assembly polls, held meetings with representatives of political parties, senior government officials, and police officers. The West Bengal Assembly with 294 seats will go to the polls in April-May 2021.

The BJP has constantly alleged that the state machinery is being prevented from maintaining a hold over the state's law and order in the face of political violence. It has claimed that almost 200 of its party workers and functionaries have been killed over the last few years. The tussle between the Centre and Mamata's officials is hardly a new one. In February 2019, the police in Kolkata had blocked the CBI when a team had arrived in the state capital to arrest the city's police commissioner. Even recently, the Mamata government opposed the central deputation of three top police officials who were responsible for the security for JP Nadda which was found wanting when the BJP chief campaigned in the poll-bound state.

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