AS Mamata Banerjee government celebrated its fourth year in office, series of violent attacks by the ruling party grabbed the headlines. From Durgapur to Coochbehar, almost no area of the state could escape the spurt of violence. In the last two weeks, at least 35 incidents of attack and violence by the ruling party were registered.

In Durgapur, the first phase of attack came when CPI(M) workers were collecting money for Nepal victims on May 17. The armed gang of the ruling party suddenly attacked, injuring at least 15 people. They looted the collected money too. The injured were admitted to hospitals.

On May 19, Durgapur witnessed one of the most barbaric attacks in the recent period when the TMC organised huge number of anti-socials and lumpens from different areas. The gang, armed with firearms, swords and iron rods first attacked another group of CPI(M) workers which was gathering to collect money for Nepal. They mercilessly beat up CPI(M) leaders who refused to leave the place. This gang then moved to local CPI(M) office and another round of attack followed. Party leaders including women leaders were beaten up. A car was burnt. The gang moved to attack Hindustan Steel Employees Union office. However, as the news spread people gathered in front of the union office. TMC criminals threw stones and burnt motor cycles, and finally retreated before the strong resistance of the people. All these mayhem occurred in the presence of the police. In fact, the police helped the ruling party criminals. For long, gangs of TMC activists cordoned the houses of CPI(M) workers.

CPI(M) Burdwan district committee member and leading trade union leader Subir Senguta, veteran Party leader Sushanta Banerjee, AIDWA leader Mita Bhattacharya were among more than 20 people injured. Six of them were admitted to hospitals. Many of them had skull injuries and fractured hands. Veteran athlete Tusharkanti Ghosh, who represented India in an athlete meet in Malaysia in 2010 suffered serious injuries in both legs and other parts of the body. While the police failed to either prevent the attack or book culprits, they registered cases against the injured CPI(M) leaders, that too under non-bailable sections.

On May 20, strong protests followed in Durgapur and industrial areas around the city. Thousands of people came out into the streets in Asansol, Burnpur, Jamuria, Raniganj and other places.

In another incident in Narayangarh in West Midnapore, peasants were attacked when they were proceeding to submit a deputation to local panchayat. The villagers raised demands of paying long overdue wages of MGNREGA, fair prices for agricultural produces. As they gathered, the TMC gang pounded upon them and indiscriminately attacked them with iron rods and sticks. At least nine AIKS leaders and activists were injured. They were admitted to the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital.

In many areas of the state, the target of recent TMC attacks were mass collection programmes for Nepal earthquake victims. CPI(M) workers were attacked in Howrah and Dinhata while collecting money for Nepal victims. The money was looted.

In Galsi, villagers were attacked when they refused to give ‘cut money’ for MGNREGA wages. Many houses in the village were attacked. Asmatara Begum was severely injured when TMC miscreants attacked her with sword. She was admitted in a serious condition to Burdwan Medical College Hospital.

Similar incidents of series of attacks took place in Ilambazar, Siuri in Birbhum, in Aliporeduar, in Sitalkuchi in Coochbehar. Not just  Left activists, even the BDO of Jalangi in Murshidabad was beaten up by the ruling party workers.

Suryakanta Misra, CPI(M) state secretary has said that every section of people is facing the TMC terror now. In the TMC regime, even TMC workers are being murdered in internal feuds. No one in Bengal is safe now.