Tensions rise in eastern India town as political violence targets local shop

June 8, 2024

by Shravya

In a disturbing incident that highlights the rising political tensions in the region of eastern India’s West Bengal, a shop owned by a supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a political party in India was vandalized by a group of masked individuals alleged to be associated with the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The attack occurred on Mithapukur Road in Bardhaman town on June 7.

Visuals showed how  the vandals damaged the shop extensively, causing significant financial loss to the family and took away most of the items from the shop as well.

The shop owner’s wife, identified by locals as a devout Hindu woman wearing traditional “sakha” and “pola” bangles, symbolic of married Bengali women, bravely attempted to fend off the attackers. Despite her efforts, the vandals continued their assault, showing blatant disregard for her pleas.

This incident comes amidst a backdrop of escalating political rivalry between the BJP, currently the ruling party at the national level led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the TMC, which governs West Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The BJP has accused the TMC of inciting violence against its supporters. Prime Minister Modi’s government has introduced several schemes to support small businesses, including the PM SVANidhi scheme, aimed at providing financial assistance to street vendors and small shop owners. Critics argue that such incidents undermine these efforts and create an atmosphere of fear and instability among small business owners.

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