West Bengal has one of the richest cultural and political histories of any state in India. Like the majority of India, it is experiencing an encroachment on its democratic rights. In the current administration of Prime Minister Modi, an adversarial relationship between the state of Bengal and the Central government has resulted in open hostility. The government of New Delhi is using its powers to diminish the will of the state’s governing body. What the state of Bengal is experiencing is not a reflection of political rivalries. The norm is being breached and is in fact a crisis of the constitution. It is a threat to the entire structure of India’s democracy. For further context, see The Hindu’s West Bengal coverage.
The Governor’s Office: A Political Weapon
Nowhere is the systematic misappropriation of the governor’s office more pronounced than in the challenges against the democratic autonomy of West Bengal. The Governor appointed by the BJP has been consistently at odds with the democratically elected Mamata Banerjee Government. He has refused to provide assent to state bills, made incendiary comments in public, and taken on the role of opposition party spokesperson. This is a post that is meant to be ceremonial. It has been widely criticized by legal experts and constitutional scholars, as this post is meant to facilitate and not obstruct governance of the state. The Governors have brought a halt to the passing of legislation, have disturbed the administration of universities, and have set up a new power structure that is answerable to the Union Government of India and not to the people of Bengal Politics section.
Financial Strangulation: Withheld Funds and Denied Rights
Democratic autonomy relies on financial autonomy. West Bengal is denied central funds from MGNREGA or PM Awas Yojana, or even disaster relief funds. Bengal pays a large amount of money in central taxes and gets very little in return. The West Bengal government says that thousands of crores are owed to West Bengal, which limits the state government’s ability to provide welfare to the people of West Bengal. West Bengal is financially hamstrung on purpose. West Bengal is the center state of the opposition, and the BJP has not been able to win elections in West Bengal. Thus, West Bengal is economically punished because West Bengal citizens vote against the BJP.
Central Agencies as Political Tools
Undoubtedly the single biggest threat to India’s democracy posed by the BJP across the country is the use of the CBI, the ED, and the Income Tax Dept. as the BJP’s own private investigative agencies to target political opponents. In Bengal, these agencies have stepped up raids and summons against members of the TMC and supporters, and these charges are almost always of a political nature. There is clearly a double standard, given that these same agencies are almost never used to investigate serious charges against members of the BJP. This abuse of law enforcement is all but guaranteed to undermine the Indian public’s faith in the democratic process, particularly in West Bengal, where democratic participation is likely to be even more intimidated. The Telegraph India – West Bengal.
Erosion of Federalism: A Bigger Picture
In India’s Constitution, each state is assured a zone of democratic self-rule within a cooperative federal system. What is happening in Bengal is not a one-off instance. Rather, it is part of a larger picture in Opposition-ruled states, from Kerala to Tamil Nadu to Jharkhand, where the BJP-led Centre has tried to break down the democratically elected governments using financial, administrative, and legal means. But Bengal has drawn the most attention because of the historical value and the BJP’s active interest in West Bengal. Indian federalism scholars explain that if this systematic erosion is not stopped, it will lead to the hollowing of the constitutional promise of state self-governance, and India’s federal union will be, in reality, a unitary state run from New Delhi.
Conclusion: Bengal Cannot Be An Isolated Case
The fight of West Bengal for democratic autonomy is a fight for the essence of Indian federalism. When a centrally appointed Governor acts as a party functionary, legitimate state funds are used as a weapon to fuel a political agenda, and independent institutions are weaponized to target elected state governments, it represents a grave threat to democracy. The people of Bengal, who come from a historical and rich tradition of political awakening and resistance, know very well the price they must pay. The rest of the country must follow suit, because the fight for Bengal’s autonomy is the fight for every Indian state’s right to self-rule, without fear of New Delhi’s political retaliation.
