As of today, more than the development narrative, Beldanga constituency is overshadowed by religious polarisation. The shift can be traced back to the unrest during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in 2019. What started as a demonstration against CAA spiralled into clashes, arson, road blockades and violence.
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Mofizur Rehman, a Beldanga resident, who has been working as a contractor in Kolkata for many years, said, “The politics revolves around Hindus and Muslims these days. Temples and mosques are discussed. It was never so in the past. The election should be fought on development, instead people are divided between temples and mosques.”
While the BJP may get the benefit of Hindu vote consolidation, locals feel that there may be a division of Muslim votes because of Congress, CPI(M)-AISF and Humayun Kabir’s outfit, locals observed.
Trinamool has fielded veteran leader Rabiyul Alam Chowdhury, shifting him from Rejinagar, and dropping the current MLA. The BJP has nominated former Trinamool leader and former municipal chief Bharat Jhawar. Congress has fielded businessman Saharuddin Sheikh, while Humayun Kabir’s party has fielded Syed Ahmed Kabir. The presence of multiple contestants and deletion of many Muslim votes may pose a different electoral arithmetic and may lead to Hindu vote consolidation and benefit the BJP here, experts believe.
Also Read | SC to hear on Monday pleas related to SIR of electoral rolls in West BengalMofizur Rehman said the ground reality in the villages is different from what outsiders think. Beldanga is not violence prone area as portrayed by the media. “Certain incidents may have triggered violence. But in our villages, we Hindus and Muslims have been living together peacefully for years. But, there is always a section of people who create trouble.”
Infact, a Beldanga trader, Akkrujaman, who sells ‘gamochhas’ and tea from a single shop, says: “The villagers don’t marry their daughters to other villages as the skill will pass to other villages,” Akkrujaman said. Every house in Tantipara in Beldanga and Domkal’s Hariharpara have women weavers engaged in ‘gamochha’ making.
Hajijul Sheikh, another Gamochha seller, said, “The Beldanga ‘gamochhas’ are in high demand outside. People travelling on the national highway buy in bulk. Women here weave high quality products.”
A truck contractor and businessman in the area also speaks of communal harmony. Hafijjul told ET, “I have been doing business in this area for the last two decades or more. My business partner is a Hindu and we have worked together. We have always lived in harmony.”
West Bengal Chief Election Officer Major Agarwal visited some polling booths in Beldanga on Saturday and said arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polls.
In mid-January this year, protests erupted after the body of Alauddin Sheikh (30), a resident of Beldanga, was brought to his native village from Jharkhand. Violent agitations broke out over the death of the migrant worker, which led to road and rail links being blocked for hours, police said. Several journalists, including a woman journalist, were injured. On January 31, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) started a probe after taking over the Beldanga case and took custody of the 36 arrested in the case. Beldanga assembly constituency was won by Trinamool Congress candidate Hasanuzzaman SK by a margin of 53,832 votes with a vote share of 55.19 %. He had defeated Sumit Ghosh from BJP who got 28.86% vote share. In the 2016 assembly polls, the seat was won by Congress candidate Sheikh Safiujjaman.
