Team News Riveting
The arrival of para-military forces and subsequently march in Bengal streets ahead of polling dates announcement had flared up politics in the poll-bound state.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had charged that the BJP was treating the election as war with heavy central forces deployment. Even a section of the media raised a finger over the decision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to send security personnel in advance in the state.
Those quizzing the ECI should understand the deployment process. It was purely a state’s subject when it came to deploy the central forces on arrival in the state for election-related duties. Neither the central government nor the poll panel take a call where the forces would be posted.
Secondly, could a highly sensitive law and order situation be brought under control within a limited period after announcement of election schedules? The duty of ECI was not confined only to conducting the polling and packing the machines, the foremost last was to create a peaceful and secure atmosphere also for the people to exercise their franchise.
And one cannot create a feeling of security among the people just two months after the election notification in the state where bombs are freely hurled on ministers or the convoy of any prominent leader was attacked in full public glare. It was a correct decision of the ECI in the larger interest of the people of West Bengal to send forces in advance.
At least 12 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces reached West Bengal on Saturday. By February 25, at least 125 companies are likely to arrive in the state to maintain law and order during the election campaign. The elections will include 60 companies of the CRPF, 30 companies of the Sashastra Seema Bal, 25 companies of the BSF and five companies each of the Central Industrial Security Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
But it was not Bengal alone, Central Police Forces (CPFs) are routinely sent to all the States and UTs where Lok Sabha/ Vidhan Sabha elections are to take place, for advance area domination, especially in the critical and vulnerable sectors which are identified by meticulous advance reviews and concrete feedback from various sources including political parties and entities. This practice has been going on since the late 1980s.
During Lok Sabha elections 2019 also, Central Forces were sent to all States and UTs and the same has been done in all State Elections which have been taking place. In the instant case also the CPFs have been sent to all the four states namely Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and UT of Puducherry where Assembly Elections are to take place.
