I’m a slow reader and a human, there are times when I miss reading something and there are times when I choose to not react if I feel I know not enough, West Bengal’s Panchayat elections were one of them. This one is on West Bengal and the elections that were concluded some time back, but do not fret, what happened in Bengal wasn’t a stray incident that loses its relevance after a day or week, the Bengal election will come to haunt us in future if we do not pay attention to it.

In West Bengal, Of the 58,792 seats in total, one-third is where opposition (left front and BJP) didn’t field their candidates. Mamata Banerjee’s TMC won them uncontested. Across the country we see these uncontested seats where candidates win without a fight and people (or supporters of that candidate) celebrate this as some macho victory but they forget that this is anathema to the practice of democracy. What do you think? All the people in a constituency love their one leader, so much so that not one person chooses to fight against him/her? Crap. It is fear that keeps them away. And fear is against the idea of democracy. In a democratic setup (ideally) citizens should have enough checks & balances, and protection to raise their voice, debate, speak out against their opponent, talk and question their MLA, MP, PM, CM, Councillor etc., anyone who wishes to stand against a candidate should be able to do so without any fear but that doesn’t happen everywhere in India. There are these pockets across the length and breadth of India but this scale in Bengal was an unprecedented one. Total full-blown mockery of democracy. TMC secured 76% of the contested seats. It was unlike any election. Whenever you see such a landslide victory in today’s time and age, be wary, be really really wary of the state of affairs in the nation.

Then there are deaths. The poll violence. More than 30 people lost their life around and on the day of election. Few from Mamata’s TMC too. She says 10 from her party. Whatever the number is from any side, people were killed and it was she who was heading the government. It is another matter if her government orchestrated these killings or not. Remember she is the Chief Minister of a state where these killings occurred. Law and order was under her command. She failed at it. We let off our politicians way too easily. Her supporters like of any popular leader are too blind to see the tragedy of it all. They want to see her win; they are happy she won it triumphantly. They don’t care about the deaths for the deaths didn’t happen in their families. It isn’t just Mamata’s Bengal but these sort of cases happen across India. We simply forget it all and also forgive the people responsible for it. People who support such leaders who show disdain for democratic practices do not realize the wrongs their leaders are doing. Mamata might not have killed them by herself but the deaths happened under watch. It was her duty to protect the inhabitants of her state. She failed at it. And like anyone under whose watch and government deaths occur, she is responsible. We as responsible citizens and those who care about this world and democracy should condemn it without any ifs and buts.

One must remember that leaders however great and virtuous as they seem, they are people like you and me, they are bound to fail, falter, err. Sometimes they err knowing and sometimes without their knowledge; what’s important is that they apologize and put checks and balances in place so that the mistake doesn’t repeat in future, not just during their government but also during any government in future. Mamata Banerjee hasn’t done it. And that’s where lies the tragedy of our times for people have already forgotten everything like they have in past. Sigh…