Bengal Violence Returns Despite “Change, Not Revenge” Call

Post-election clashes between BJP and TMC cadres raise questions over policing, political culture, and the limits of electoral peace

By MANISH ANAND

New Delhi, May 6, 2026 — Visuals from West Bengal are disturbing. The state seems in a spell of spiraling political violence. Offices and men associated with the Trinamool Congress are allegedly facing attacks from the BJP workers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his victory speech at the BJP headquarters had spoken of “Badlaav not badla (change not revenge).” But the streets in West Bengal suggest that the BJP workers are not heeding to the counsel of the Prime Minister.

Political violence has defined the West Bengal politics for decades. The BJP and its ideological mentor, the RSS, for years showed documentaries in the national capital to argue the case of political violence. The BJP and the RSS sought to claim that they had been victims of the political violence in West Bengal.

The backdrop may explain the vengeance with which the offices of the TMC are facing attacks. Indeed, the TMC workers had also been accused of unleashing similar violence on the offices and workers of the Left parties in West Bengal after winning the state elections in 2011. The political violence seems part of a strategy in West Bengal to instill fear among the rival.

The TMC had also been accused of patronising alleged extortionists. The change of political master in Kolkata may have emboldened the attackers to go after such extortionists. But if the pattern prevails, then the spell of political violence may persist for months.

The police for decades in West Bengal had allegedly been made subservient to the party cadre — first of the Left and then of the TMC. That may explain why the police is not able to stop the wave of political violence sweeping through West Bengal.

Ironically, the Election Commission has taken credits for holding “free and fair” elections in West Bengal in a peaceful manner. The elections saw no major political violence. Indeed, a massive mobilisation of the paramilitary forces my have ensured a violence free elections in West Bengal. But these forces are still in West Bengal. That suggests a certain level of loosening of the guards.

(This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author’s own.)

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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