BJP putting pressure on Police to corner Trinamool; Amit Shah determined to achieve ‘Mission 2021’

The role that police play in shaping the dynamics and dimension of political system in West Bengal decides the future character of the polity and the nature of the party which would rule the state. Political parties have ruled the state, but it has been the police who helped them come to power and run the government.

Though any change of political dimension is attributed to the ideological policy preferences, the fact remains that the changes often relate to the dynamics of dominance and not specifically to the ideology. The political changes are often projected as outcome of ideological change but it is the material gain and element of economic empowerment that underlines the political change not the ideology. Ideology often loses its relevance.

The defeat of Congress in 1967 was described as the ascension of Marxism in Bengal. But it soon became clear that it was more for sharing power and getting the share in the financial gains than becoming an ardent Marxist.

If the communist parties had succeeded in imparting ideological orientation and indoctrinated their supporters then they ought to not have lost power to Mamata Banerjee or turn to BJP in 2019 election for their survival. Their ideological orientation was completely a false pretension was proved by the desertion of the large scale of cadres during the Lok Sabha election this year and embracing the fascist nationalist ideals.

The BJP’s differences with the Trinamool Congress intensified with clashes breaking out between workers of the saffron party and the police in the state. While BJP has been identifying the Trinamool as its prime enemy, in most of the clashes the police was at the target of the BJP cadres. Confrontation with police has proved to be more organisationally profitable for the BJP.

A week back the BJP had organised rally near Lalbazar, the police headquarters. Two years ago, the BJP had also organised a similar march to the Kolkata Police headquarters, which had also resulted in clashes.

This is the tactical move of the BJP to politicise the police and to send the message to its rank and file that police would not harm them. Getting the police protection is the prime consideration of the rank and files of any political party. The close nexus between the police and political parties has politicised the police in the state.

Kailash Vijayvargiya, senior BJP leader in-charge of West Bengal is certain that people will overthrow Mamata Banerjee government very soon. He is right. The politics that is being practiced by the BJP would eventually pave the path for its ascension to power. The spurt in political violence in the state after 2019 election results underline that a transformation is underway.

BJP has come to realise that in order to throw out Mamata from power it is imperative that the police should be neutralised and made to follow the saffron line. The recent clashes make it apparent that the BJP has been targeting the police with this intention.

Most of the violent incidents had taken place in North 24 Parganas district, an area which was the Marxist bastion. In recent times they have joined the BJP. The BJP must tread cautiously as the former Marxist may desert the saffron any day they find convenient.

The BJP has been targeting the police with twin objectives; first, to weaken the hold of Mamata on police and create a sense of panic in the police so that in future they keep a distance from her and TMC.

During its rule Trinamool has politicised the police. Now, with the change in the political scenario in Bengal, the government appears to be losing control over police. This is evident from large scale desertion from the TMC to the BJP.

These politicians cannot survive without the police support. BJP leaders have been openly advising and even warning the police that Mamata’s ‘time is up’ and they should either work properly or face the consequences after the BJP comes to power in Bengal.

It is worth mentioning that before the polls, Mamata Banerjee had written a strongly-worded letter to the Election Commission condemning the transfer of four senior police officers in the state. Their removal came after the BJP lodged complaints that they are working on behalf of the ruling Trinamool Congress government.