Dubai: As the biggest election in the world winds down in India, the state of West Bengal experienced violent attacks. Online, three of the top trends in India were related to the developments in the state overnight.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party president Amit Shah held a rally in the state, which is ruled by All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). According to a report by Indian news website scroll.in, as Shah’s roadshow passed through Kolkata’s College Street area, it was met by protestors from the Trinamool’s student wing, who shouted “Amit Shah go back”.
This led to violent confrontation between the two groups. BJP workers then moved on to Vidyasagar College, setting motorcycles on fire and trying to break the main gate. A statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a historical icon in India, was smashed inside the college.
BJP’s spokesperson Tajinder Singh Bagga was also arrested, with many social media users criticisng the move.
Vidyasagar is known as a social reformer and played a critical role in bringing progressive practices into society. Tweep @Aagan86 shared a video of men in saffron-coloured shirts pelting stones at the university campus and commented: “This is the bicentenary year of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. This is how Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) goons paid their tribute. #Shame. #Kolkata will give a fitting reply on May 19.”
TMC member Derek O’Brien shared several updates from the ongoing clashes, @derekobrienmp: “Uploading multiple videos of horrific events in Kolkata last evening. Irrefutable evidence that BJP goons, part of Shah’s roadshow, went on rampage and even desecrated Vidyasagar’s bust showing no respect or love for Bengal’s culture. We guarantee the videos are 100% authentic.”
Tweep @sidmtweets wrote: “Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is no less than Swami Vivekananda for us. I appeal to every Bengali, punish BJP on polling day for doing this. A murder accused like @AmitShah has no respect for our culture he only wants power at the cost of breaking down our culture.”
Journalist @ameytirodkar added: “Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is not only a Bengali icon. He is an Indian icon. Whatever has happened in Bengal … is painful to entire India.”
Another journalist, @sagarikaghose, wrote: “Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a reformer, scholar and exemplar of the Bengal renaissance. Vandalising his statue is an affront to every Bengali, and shows that whoever did it is ignorant of or does not care about Bengal and its spirit.”
Many tweeps commented on how the progressive values that were promoted by Vidyasagar were the polar opposite of the right-wing groups.
Tweep @AreeDada__ wrote: “I C Vidyasagar changed the rules of Sanskrit College allowing non-Brahmin students to get admission. This reform is enough for Sanghis to hate him.”
Another tweep, @bombaywallah, added: “Not at all surprised that ABVP [BJP’s student wing] activists vandalised Ishwarchand Vidyasagar’s bust - he was a polymath, highly educated and reformist, speaking out for widow remarriage. Everything the Sangh hates.”
Many social media users also commented on the impact the violence would have on the rhetoric by the two political rivals, and how TMC head and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would steer the conversation against the BJP. Tweep @RifatJawaid wrote: “Big mistake by BJP. Vandalisation of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s statue will be extremely costly for the BJP. Mamata has already told Bengalis that each vote against the BJP will be a revenge on the attack on Vidyasagar’s statue.”
Crackdown
As BJP’s spokesperson, Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was arrested by the police, #SaveBengalSaveDemocracy and #FreeTajinderBagga became top trends on Twitter.
In-charge of BJP’s national Information & Technology, @amitmalviya, wrote: “Mamata Banerjee ordered a midnight crackdown on several BJP leaders in Kolkata, who were picked up in the middle of night, without due process of law being followed. Tajinder Bagga and several others are now in TMC’s illegal detention.”
Bagga tweeted later that he was released after the police failed to find any evidence linking him to the violence.
