The West Bengal government will be providing jobs to one eligible member of the families who lost their loved ones due to election-related and post-poll political violence over the last 25 years, intending to support them. The proposal has already been approved by the Cabinet and also got a green card from the Law Department, reported News18, citing sources from Nabanna. The government will make an official announcement regarding the same shortly.
Who Will Be Covered Under The Scheme?
This job scheme will include those families who have lost their members in violence after the 2021 Assembly elections and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the victims who suffered during and after the Panchayat elections over the past 25 years.
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How To Apply For The Jobs?
Once the government issues the official notification, families who want to apply for a job under this scheme will have to submit their applications to the district administration. They will need to share details of the deceased person, along with information about the incident and how the death took place. The district authorities will check the documents and verify every claim before sending the eligible cases forward for a final decision.
Bengal And Its History Of Political Violence
Political clashes have been a serious problem in West Bengal for many decades and have continued under different governments. In the early 1970s, there were frequent confrontations between the Congress and the Left parties. After the Left Front came to power in 1977, allegations of attacks on opposition workers and political intimidation kept coming up, especially in rural areas like Keshpur and Garbeta. Opposition parties often referred to the alleged CPI(M) workers involved in these incidents as the ‘Harmad Bahini’.
The Reign Of Mamata Banerjee
The change of power in 2011, when Mamata Banerjee ended the Left Front’s 34-year rule, did not stop the allegations of political violence. The 2018 Panchayat elections saw widespread claims of attacks on opposition candidates and interference in the election process. Similar concerns were raised during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as well. The violence that followed the 2021 Assembly elections brought the issue into sharper focus. Reports of deaths, attacks on political workers, people being forced to leave their homes, and property damage came from several districts. The matter also came under the scrutiny of the courts.