Opposition alleges of violence and rigging at Panchayat Election counting in West Bengal

In the aftermath of violence during the Panchayat election polling in West Bengal, the state faces further turmoil as allegations of rigging emerge even in the counting of votes. The opposition parties have raised serious concerns, claiming that their counting agents were not allowed inside the counting centers at numerous locations, undermining the transparency and fairness of the electoral process.

One disturbing incident unfolded in front of Fakir Chand College in Diamond Harbour, where the counting agent representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was subjected to a brutal assault. Despite the presence of police on the scene, no immediate action was taken to protect the agent or restore order, said an opposition party worker. Shockingly, the assailants not only beat the counting agent but also snatched away his identification card, intensifying the gravity of the assault.

In Vishnupur, Diamond Harbour, the number one BJP counting agent was viciously beaten and denied entry into the counting center. The situation escalated as bombing and firing erupted in the vicinity. Durgapur Pallimangal High Girls School in the Bali Jagacha block of Howrah witnessed an appalling incident where candidates and agents affiliated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPIM were allegedly thrashed and forcibly expelled. A similar atmosphere of tension prevailed at Nischinda Palli Mangal School, where the police failed to take appropriate action despite heavy security measures, resulting in the assault and severe injury of a BJP agent.

The ruling Trinamool Congress party, in particular, faces accusations of assault and electoral malpractice. There are reports of Trinamool activists assaulting a female agent from an opposition party, tearing her clothes in a deplorable act of intimidation. Additionally, allegations have surfaced regarding Trinamool workers throwing CPI(M) printed ballot papers at Bali Jagacha Block Palli Mangal School, further adding to the chaotic nature of the electoral process. In response to these provocative acts, CPIM supporters broke through police barricades in front of the school gate, leading to clashes that resulted in the severing of a CPI(M) worker's head.

Further exacerbating the situation, at the Mamudpur polling station in Barrackpore, a confrontation occurred between BJP candidate Barun Sardar and alleged Trinamool operatives. Tension escalated when the BJP candidate objected to a suspected plot to tamper with the ballot box, resulting in a ruckus. The police had to intervene and forcefully remove the candidate from the premises to restore order.

In Birbhum district, party workers who had arrived outside the counting center with their respective candidates faced a harrowing ordeal. They were surrounded by Trinamool workers who launched a vicious assault using sticks, bricks, and stones. Shockingly, Trinamool workers openly brandished bombs in close proximity to the counting center, yet the police seemingly turned a blind eye to their dangerous presence.