The State is witnessing an assault on its democratic values like never before. Rural West Bengal, during the left front rule, had witnessed regular displacement and exile of members of the opposition parties. That however can be no reason for similar such situation now, after the much touted ‘poriborton’ or change!
However, never before Hon’ble members of parliament and leaders have so brazenly threatened of raping women and shooting opponents with revolvers. The language of another leader of the ruling party the very next day was equally offensive, to behead opponents. It is spine chilling to see a police officer smiling and nodding his head in agreement on the latter threat. A few days ago, when a MLA’s vehicle was intercepted, he barked before the TV cameras that ‘the police thrust the machine and cocked it on his body,’ meaning the cocked revolver was jabbed at him, a language which no ordinary mortals may understand.
The literati, culture clan are strangely quiet, apparently mortally afraid of the swift retaliatory arrest and harass action from the Government on the slightest face of any criticism. The social media are also silent afraid of punitive measures. Case of a professor who posted a cartoon on Facebook and the poor farmer who questioned the Chief Minister on the high prices of fertilizers and who were branded criminals and bundled into prison are still fresh in everyone’s memory.
Strangely, when the CM is known to react immediately on issues and without fear of any consequences is quiet on the breach of her party members in alarming regularity. She must come down heavily on public offenders like Tapas Paul and get ready for cleansing her party of these elements. Parliament, earlier was embellished by great sons and daughters of India, and now it is a hall of shame!