The first BJP ministry in the history of West Bengal has been sworn in under the leadership of Suvendu Adhikari. The fact that the oath-taking ceremony itself turned into a Sangh Parivar celebration can be seen as a sign in itself. The ceremony, attended by the Prime Minister, Union ministers and the Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states, displayed visible signs of saffron politics. The new Chief Minister has promised to focus on infrastructure development, revive the industrial sector and provide better governance. But there are many ominous signs. Bengal has long stood in contrast to the widespread intolerance witnessed in BJP-ruled states. In a country that has embraced the politics of inclusion in language, culture and social discourse, the BJP politics now arrives as a major reactionary force. Those who viewed the centralisation of power under the Mamata Banerjee regime as a weakness should fear that what may unfold now is an even more destructive centralisation backed by the power of a “double engine”. Will the excessive power now acquired be used to nourish Bengal’s historical pluralism or to deepen social polarisation?
What kind of governance Bengal is going to receive is something only time will reveal, but the manner and circumstances in which Suvendu Adhikari assumed power do not offer encouraging signs. The new Chief Minister, who promises efficient governance, was once a minister in the Mamata government. At that time, he had expressed ideological opposition to Sangh Parivar politics. Ten years ago, corruption charges were raised against him. The BJP showed the entire country the camera footage of him accepting bribes. At that time, BJP leaders, including Modi, came out against the “Narada corruption hero”. However, in 2020, he attended Amit Shah’s rally and joined the BJP. After he switched sides, the corruption case disappeared. Today, he has become the head of West Bengal’s government under the banner of the BJP. Reports suggest that the degeneration that had already begun in Bengal is continuing with greater intensity, now taking on an even more communal character. The question of whether the new government’s commitment lies with Bengali society or with narrow politics is therefore not misplaced. Suvendu, who once took pride in Bengal’s pluralism, sought votes in this election by spewing communal venom.
Immediately after being elected from Nandigram, he said that since Muslims had not voted for him, he would serve only Hindus. He is assuming power in violation of the spirit of the Constitution. There is an allegation that the main reason behind the BJP’s landslide victory in Bengal was electoral roll manipulation carried out under the guise of SIR. Now, its key functionary, Election Commission observer Subrata Gupta, has become the Chief Minister’s principal adviser. Bengal needs a government that will correct the mistakes of the past while preserving its strengths. However, the initial signs indicate that it is moving in the opposite direction. Signs that Bengal’s unique broad-mindedness is giving way to extreme narrowness are already becoming visible. Reports suggest that conflicts, armed attacks and communal violence have begun occurring openly. The fate of Bengal reminds us that democratic parties and the general public must set aside all differences and unite against anti-national movements. The ‘INDIA’ alliance, which was expected to bring together Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the Indian National Congress in Bengal, is today weakened for many reasons. The ‘INDIA’ front, which believed it necessary to place the fight against communal politics above all other considerations, appears in the meantime to have lost sight of that very objective. Bengal is once again reminding India that parties which lose sight of their purpose in the pursuit of power and display arrogance must ultimately prepare for a course correction.