The Unfolding War on Bengal: Ram Navami celebrations before the poll

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Sukla Sen

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Mar 30, 2026, 1:03:27 AM (4 days ago) Mar 30

to foil-l, Discussion list about emerging world social movement

<https://x.com/i/status/2037720861025644633>

(This is a video clip graphically capturing the unrestrained violet vandalism by a saffron gang targeting Muslims in (Muslim-majority) Murshidabad district of West Bengal -- on March 27.

Presumably in order to terrorise them and dissuade those those still on the voter list from coming out to vote.)

In West Bengal, right now, the state administration is under the control of the Election Commission of India (ECI), aka BJP (ref.:<https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/india-cec-gyanesh-kumar-impeachment-2026/article70775635.ece>).

(The Chief Minister has explicitly said that in the context of this violence with the police directly reporting to the Election Commission officials: <https://m.economictimes.com/news/elections/assembly-elections/west-bengal/29-arrested-after-tension-over-ram-navami-procession-in-bengals-murshidabad/articleshow/129869986.cms>.)

Within hours of announcing the poll (in the wee hours around 04:00 AM?), the incumbent Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, the DGP West Bengal and the Kolkata Police Commissioner were all summarily dislodged and replaced with officials of its choice: <https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/election-commission-removes-cs-home-secretary-in-poll-bound-bengal>.

By now, quite a large number of senior officers have been replaced in a number of instalments: <https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/assembly/story/west-bengal-election-official-transfers-83-block-development-officers-election-commission-2888825-2026-03-29> and <https://www.thehindu.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly/eci-reshuffles-13-ias-officers-in-west-bengal-appoints-dm-cum-deos-ahead-of-assembly-polls/article70757494.ece>.

On top of that, an unprecedentedly large (between 2 and 2.4 lakh -- double the corresponding figure in 2021) mobilisation of central paramilitary forces (mostly from the cow belt?) is underway: <https://www.thehindu.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly/west-bengal-likely-to-get-2400-capf-companies-in-phased-deployment/article70772590.ece>.

They'll man the polling booths to be in charge of their "security". Will enjoy considerable legal immunity vis-a-vis local complaints.

(Virtually treating the land as an occupied alien territory or at least one rife with insurgency?)

There are also reports of tiffs between the central forces and the local police.

As regards the voter list that is being churned out, apart from the mere number of deletions -- too huge as it is (total reduction in number reduction may eventually turn out to be well above 80 lakh): <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/75-lakh-and-counting-bengal-electoral-roll-already-down-by-10-from-2025/articleshow/129837426.cms>) -- even a retired High Court Judge found his name deleted despite producing requisite documents:

<https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/former-high-court-judge-name-deleted-west-bengal-voter-list-sir-10602598/>. While two members of his family were under "adjudication". So is the just removed Chief Secretary: <https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/wb-chief-secy-among-60l-voters-put-under-adjudication-after-sir/>.

Also a very veteran and highly feted poet, who since approached the Supreme Court -- understandably without any redress as yet: <https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/poet-joy-goswami-has-approached-the-supreme-court-alleging-harassment-due-to-sir-prnt/cid/1663983>. In this special category, there are also ministers and MLAs: <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/2-ministers-team-india-cricketer-under-adjudication-for-bengal-voter-list-11155900>.

It bears mentioning that the category of "under adjudication" -- with a roll strength of sixty lakh or so -- is a unique feature of West Bengal. That speaks for itself.

Under such conditions, rather unsurprisingly, we find such open one-sided violence (primarily in order to terrorise a certain section before the poll?).

That gives us enough of an indication as regards what's in the pipeline if the BJP comes to power. (And also triggers dark apprehensions as regards how the poll is going to be conducted.)

Even otherwise, their putative chief ministerial face has loudly proclaimed that in this Hindu land Hindus would reign and there's no room for atheism and secularism: <https://youtu.be/Z5xDvpJUIIc>. Another, a former state president and currently union minister, has promised that, under a BJP government, every police station will have a shining yellow bulldozer -- ready to go for action (without any dillydallying like courts etc.): <https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRRAoD0CUzs/>. Yet another former state president has declared that there'd be encounter killings as in UP: <https://youtu.be/pNqvoAHCdc0>.

And, of course, still the elephant in the room is the looming detention camps.