“Reign of Terror, Not Democracy”: Rahul Gandhi on Congress Worker’s Murder in Bengal  

New Delhi (IANS): Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a scathing attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday, following the alleged murder of a Congress worker in West Bengal. Gandhi accused the ruling party of substituting democracy with a “reign of terror” to eliminate political opposition.

The Incident: Post-Poll Violence in Asansol

The victim, Debdeep Chatterjee, was a dedicated Congress worker in Asansol who worked closely with Asansol North candidate Prasenjit Puitandi. According to the Congress party, Chatterjee was brutally beaten by “TMC-affiliated thugs” on Friday (April 24), following the first phase of the Assembly elections. He later succumbed to his injuries.

The Bengal unit of the Congress has alleged that the local administration displayed “apathy” by failing to register an FIR immediately, raising concerns over the collapse of law and order during the election cycle.

Rahul Gandhi’s Response

Taking to social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and condemned the “politics that stains India’s non-violent tradition.”

• On TMC’s Governance: “In West Bengal today, it is not democracy but TMC’s reign of terror that prevails. Intimidating, attacking, and eliminating opposing voices… has become the defining character of TMC,” Gandhi stated.
• On Non-Violence: He emphasized that despite losing workers, the Congress party remains committed to the Constitution and non-violence.
• The Demand: Gandhi called for the “immediate arrest of all the guilty, the harshest punishment, and full security and compensation” for Chatterjee’s family.

Political Context

The murder has sparked a fresh wave of tension in the industrial belt of Asansol, highlighting a disturbing pattern of post-poll vendetta. The Congress party maintains that democracy cannot survive in an atmosphere of fear and has vowed to fight for justice for every victim of political violence.