‘Blackshirts’ Of Bengal: How Fascism Entered The State Disguised As Democracy

The ongoing slaughter of BJP Karyakartas and Hindu rights activists in West Bengal is a perfect example of fascism disguised in democracy. The land that was once fortunate to have given brave children like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekanand and Bina Das, experienced grave political violence in the post-independence era.

The Maoists and naxalite violence and marching of armed Marxist cadre on streets in 1960’s, the dreadful Marichjhapi massacre which saw the killings of hundreds of Hindu refugees in 1979, calling upon by Left-wing extremist Charu Majumdar for assasination of state functionaries and civilians, or the open police firing on Youth Congress workers in 1993, are a few of the numerous incidents of political violence in the state.

The holy land of Maa Durga has been cursed by decades long violence and civil strife. The government takeovers from the Congress to Communists and further from Communists to Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the last five decades have always happened through violent struggles.

But what is now happening to the Karyakartas of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state is unprecedented and has crossed all limits of barbarism and anarchy.

As per the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, West Bengal under the draconian leadership of Mamata Banerjee tops the list of political killings under the category “Murder due to Political Reason”.

West Bengal also tops the list of the highest number of crimes committed by foreign nationals, amongst other Indian states.

Between 2018 Panchayat Polls in West Bengal to the last phase of assembly elections on May 28, 2021, more than 130 BJP Karyakartas have been killed by TMC goons. Thereafter, since the announcement of 2021 Assembly elections results in favor of TMC, more than 20 Karyakartas have been reportedly killed as a mark of victory celebration by TMC cadre.

This is horrifying. The number of attacks, grievous hurts and arsons on BJP cadre and supporters are countless. These figures are on record and can be verified by a simple google search.

In the past five years, the BJP had emerged as a ray of hope to usher in development in the otherwise corruption-hit and employment scarce West Bengal. The party received an overwhelming response with lakhs of locals joining and strengthening the party base.

This expansion of BJP irked and frustrated the existing political leadership in the state. While the BJP consolidated its support through its development agenda and success of Modi government’s union schemes, the existing government here is rooting its vote bank by illegally sheltering the Bangladeshi Muslim and Rohingya immigrants in the state and converting them into a voter base.

The political leadership of West Bengal has dismantled the social, cultural and political fabric of the state to satisfy its own hunger for power. The unusual demographic shifts, corroborated by illegal Bangladeshi influx, are alarming and a big threat to national security as well.

The voters of TMC must be cautious of whom they have elected for themselves and for the nation as well. The bloodshed in West Bengal since May 2, 2021 reminds of the ‘Direct Action Day’ in 1946.

The state supported violence of TMC cadre under the nose of Mamata Banerjee, on the streets of West Bengal, can be precisely attributed to the Blackshirts of Mussolini in Italy and the Sturmabteilung (SA) of Hitler in Germany.

Blackshirts was a voluntary militia of the National Facist Party called Squadrismo which was deployed at Mussolini’s behest to intimidate and crush his opponents. Similarly, SA, officially a paramilitary wing of Hitler’s Nazi Party, was accustomed to use violence during and after the elections to eradicate the opponents in any possible manner.

Both Hitler and Mussolini used the concept of ‘outsiders and insiders’ to fuel their political interests, a cliche adopted by Mamta Banerjee as well. Undoubtedly, the third-time sworn CM has emerged as the true successor of facists regimes.

Most unfortunately, no other political party has condemned the obscene act of violence, gang rape of women, and institutionalised manslaughter that is happening in West Bengal.

Blinded by political rivalry, they conveniently ignored the fact that those innocent people who are being killed are human beings apart from being BJP supporters. This is very unhealthy for a democratic state.

For the first time, unlike other political parties, the BJP cadre didn’t resort to unlawful violent retaliations, but rather staunchly upheld the constitutional limits in such an anarchic environment.

The helplessness of both BJP leadership in the state and of the dying courageous Karyakartas at this moment is analogous to the situation of brave Abhimanyu in Mahabharat who fiercely stood for the right but was trapped in the Chakravyuh of Kauravas.

But such supreme sacrifice for constitutional values and reawakening of Bengal shall not go in vain. The rise of party from 3 MLAs to 77 MLAs and 18 Lok Sabha MPs with 2.28 crore voters (38.13 per cent vote share) signals the support of a very substantial population. It is indicative of the desire for an aspirational Sonar Bangla and end of politics of violence.

This destructive attitude of Mamata government is crossing all limits and sanctity of democracy. It should not underestimate the strength and commitment of the Bhartiya Janata Party.

Like the BJP has blossomed in a terrorism-hit Jammu & Kashmir, and taken it ahead on the path of development, it is committed to continue its work in West Bengal to free it from the clutches of fascism.

We end this piece by praying for the families of all the martyrs and remember the inspirational words of Atal ji- “Andhera Chhattega, Suraj Niklega, Kamal Khilega!.”