The Turning Tables
How the tables have turned! Before the Assembly elections in 2011 when the CPI-M was in power Mamata Banerjee was up in arms trying to ensure that the state police is not given the power to man the polling booths across Bengal. At that time she insisted on Central paramilitary forces fearing that the Left would rig elections. Now she is insisting that Central forces are not required for the upcoming Panchayat elections in the state. A verbal duel between the state Election Commissioner Mira Pandey, who feels that the poor law and order situation in Bengal makes it necessary to call in Central forces and members of the state government, which insists that law and order is the business of the state so the decision is entirely its own, has reached boiling point. The question is why is the state government so keen to keep Central forces away? To ensure “free and fair” elections, TMC leaders – including Mamata Banerjee – have always demanded additional forces (even at the time of the last Panchayat Elections in 2008). So why not now?
Tongue-Tied
Call it the heat or just fatigue from constantly engaging in political verbal battle, some of our most articulate leaders seem to be losing their power of speech. Here are a couple of examples of the tongue-tiedness of our politicians from this week: