As Bengal goes to polls on April 29, all eyes are on three of its most communally sensitive constituencies; Asansol, Birbhum and Krishnanagar.
Asansol:
Until last year, Asansol was a peaceful town where a diverse group of people Hindus and Muslims, Bengalis and non-Bengalis, lived in harmony working in its coal mines and steel plants, earning it the tag of “City of Brotherhood”.
But today, Asansol has become one of the most communally turbulent constituencies in Bengal. Communal clashes broke out here during Ram Navami in 2018 that led to the death of 16 year old Sibtulla Rashidi, son of the local Imam. It was only because of Imam Imdadul Rashidi’s heart rending appeal not to avenge his son’s death that the escalation of violence could be prevented and carnage finally came to an end.
Interestingly, sitting MP Babul Supriyo of the BJP had threatened to skin alive some people shouting slogans against him during his visit to riot affected areas. The police then filed and FIR against him claiming he inciting violence and was preventing the police from doing their jobs. Anuj Sharma, Inspector-General of Police (Law and Order), told The Hindu, “We filed a case against Mr. Supriyo on Thursday for violation of orders under Section 144 of the Cr.PC and under Sections 353 (use of criminal force to deter a public servant from performing his duty), 146, 147 and 148 (rioting).”
Violence also broke out in 2019, once again on Ram Navami, when two police vehicles were vandalised and set on fire. But the situation was swiftly contained and ten people were arrested.
Electorally Asansol was a CPI (M) bastion and the party had registered consecutive victories here from 1989, losing only in 2014. Supriyo faces competition from actor-turned-politiciann Moon Moon Sen of the TMC, Gaurang Chatterjee of the CPI (M) and Biswarup Modal of the INC.
Birbhum:
This is another communally sensitive constituency where violence broke out last year after an allegedly objectionable social post about Prophet Mohammed. There was violence at a madarsa, a national highway and at a bazaar where a police station is located. The person who made the allegedly offensive post was taken into custody, but the crowd wanted him to be handed over to them.
Birbhum was a CPI (M) bastion from 1971 till 2009 when the TMC’s Satabdi Roy scored a surprise victory. This time Roy is up against the BJP’s DK Mondal and CPI (M)’s Dr Reza Ul Karim.
Krishnanagar:
The land of Chaitanya Mahapraphu is much coveted by the BJP. In 2015, 50 BJP supporters and 11 policemen were injured in clashes that took place at the site of a program where the BJP was trying to ironically draw attention to the violent ways of the TMC. While the police lathi charges, the BJP supporters took to stone pelting.
This year, both PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah campaigning aggressively in the constituency. The BJP has fielded former football captain Kalyan Chaubey hoping to highlight the anti-incumbency factor against the TMC’s Tapas Paul. Paul though has been mired in several controversies including a Ponzi scheme and has also allegedly made a series of violent threats. All this led Mamata Banerjee to deny Paul a ticket this year. The TMC candidate is Mahua Moitra a former investment banker.
Krishnanagar is a diverse constituency with Hindus, Muslims and Christian residents.