Multiple offices of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the Bali area of Howrah district, West Bengal, were allegedly ransacked by unidentified miscreants late on Tuesday night, 16 September, according to party leaders who spoke on Wednesday. The CPI(M) squarely blamed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for orchestrating the attacks — a charge the BJP categorically denied.

What Was Attacked and How

According to CPI(M) leaders, the Dewangazi Zonal party office on Panchanantala Road and another party office on Belur Station Road were among the premises targeted. Several other party offices in the area were also allegedly ransacked. A group of miscreants reportedly arrived on motorcycles at around 11 pm, with the attack continuing for nearly 45 minutes.

CPI(M) district committee member Shankar Maitra alleged: 'At around 11 pm, local BJP leaders came on bikes and vandalised four party offices. They locked one office also.' Maitra further alleged that police failed to act despite the party lodging a complaint shortly after the incident.

The Political Context

The vandalism reportedly took place hours after a programme organised by the CPI(M)'s youth wing, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), at Panchanantala near the Bali Canal. CPI(M) leader Dipsita Dhar and other party members were present at the event. According to party leaders, tension developed in the area following the programme before the attacks occurred later in the night.

BJP Rejects the Allegation

BJP leader Raja Goswami dismissed the charge entirely, saying: 'We were busy with Ganesh Puja and distribution of khichdi. In between, we went to a function organised by the Yuva Morcha at Howrah station. I came to know about the attack on the Left party's offices from the media. BJP has no connection with this.'

A Pattern of Alleged Attacks on CPI(M) Offices

This is not an isolated incident. Days earlier, a CPI(M) office in north Bengal's Jalpaiguri was allegedly vandalised and set ablaze. In that case, the party alleged that miscreants affiliated with the BJP attacked its district office on DBC Road in Jalpaiguri, vandalising the gate with sticks and setting fire in front of the premises. A written complaint was filed with the police following that incident as well.

The back-to-back alleged attacks point to deepening tensions between the Left and the BJP in West Bengal, where political violence has historically flared around programmatic events and local turf disputes. How law enforcement responds to the Howrah complaint is likely to shape the next steps for both parties.