Burnt remains of vehicles in Bhangar, West Bengal, where large-scale violence and arson broke out during the filing of nominations for the upcoming panchayat elections. (Image: News18)
Families of both TMC and ISF workers killed in violence want justice and peace in Bhangar
Only a few days are left for the three-tier elections. News18 Went to Bhangar to meet the families who have suffered losses and to know the pulse of the area. But the question everyone is asking is whether the voting will be peaceful? The families of both TMC and ISF workers killed in the violence want justice and peace in Bhangar.
Not much is left for Ruma Ghosh Naskar, wife of TMC worker Raju Naskar. Her husband was murdered on 15 June and she was left to fend for himself as well as her four daughters and a son. Sitting inside their small hut, she told News18 that on the day she died, her husband did not even tell her that he was going out on party work.
When he did not return till late evening, she inquired about him and found out that he was no more. He said that he still cannot believe that Raju is not around but Ruma will cast her vote and her vote will be for Shanti.
She said that she will never allow her son to join politics as it means violence. “I will go and vote but peace must prevail. We don’t want violence. We want peace even after voting.
While talking, tears welled up in the eyes of Raju’s brother Bappa Naskar. News18, “Why should three people die for a simple process of filing nomination? What is happening? I am requesting everyone to conduct peaceful elections in Bhangar.
News18 went from Raju’s house to Moinuddin’s house. He was an active worker of ISF and was killed in front of the Block Development Office on the last day of filing nominations. On the same day, Raju, a proposer of one of the candidates, was murdered.
Moinuddin’s mother Fatima Biwi has become completely silent since the day her son was killed. His wife Nurbanu has a two-year-old son. He said, “The doctor has said that my mother-in-law is unable to speak due to shock.”
Weeping, he said: “I have lost everything; I want justice. Fifteen days passed and not a single person was arrested. I am living in fear and don’t know if I should go and vote or not.”
Moinuddin’s uncle, who is a local ISF leader, said, “Our son is gone but the administration is doing nothing. They brought people from outside, but no one was arrested. How will we conduct peaceful elections? Now, the central forces are here. What will happen when they leave?
Hakimul, a local TMC leader, said, “The ISF has brought people from outside. Whether the polling day will be peaceful or not depends on the ISF.
The discussion at Bhangar’s tea shops is not about which party will win, but whether there will be a peaceful election. An elderly man named Mizanur Rahman said, “We don’t know but if people come from outside, how will we vote? What if they terrorize us like they did on nomination day?”
“Whatever happened was bad but now that the central forces are here, we are hopeful that the elections will be peaceful. Bhangar was not like this before,” he said.
