Political violence has long been a feature of West Bengal politics. Whether it is due to a sense of mass empowerment, or an outcome of political awareness, or the partisan nature of electoral politics, the phenomenon has been a subject of debate as well as a cause for concern. Post-election violence, however, stems from the victor’s sense of entitlement and triumphalism, making it more condemnable and far less spontaneous than the frequent confrontations that mark the State’s political scene. The latest round of violence broke out soon after the declaration of results of the State Assembly elections on May 2 . The Calcutta High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into incidents of rape and murder that took place during this post-poll violence, while other incidents will be probed by a special team of State police officers. Both the probes will be under the court’s supervision. The verdict by a five-judge Bench is a welcome denouement to days of fierce recriminations by the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Opposition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party over the incidents. It is a reflection of the state of affairs in the State that there is a dispute over how bad the violence was and how long it lasted. To make matters worse, the Mamata Banerjee government claimed that the violence was brought under control as soon as the party assumed office on May 5, giving the impression that three days of mayhem brooked no response from the police.
The court’s decision to get the National Human Rights Commission to form a panel , including representatives of the State Human Rights Commission and the State Legal Services Authority, to make a field assessment was contested by the State government, but the report the exercise yielded confirmed large-scale and widespread violence, much of it by ruling party supporters against their political adversaries. The main judgment by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal has explained the reasons for handing over the probe to the central agency: the lack of concrete action, the absence of first information reports, or diluted ones registered after a committee had pointed out such cases, and the tendency to downplay many cases. Further, when faced with allegations of police apathy and inaction, only an investigation by an independent agency will inspire confidence. In a separate opinion, Justice I.P. Mukerji said that there was nothing to show that the ruling party intended to promote political violence, but agreed that the CBI probe was needed to ensure a fair investigation into heinous crimes. The State government may appeal against the verdict, but the doubt cast on the ruling party’s commitment to the rule of law is genuine. An impartial investigation may not only result in credible prosecutions but also be a much-deserved blow against the culture of violence and post-election triumphalism in West Bengal.