Kolkata: Large-scale violence, which broke out on Cossipore Road during the KMC elections last year, still haunts retired state government employee Bholanath Chatterjee, who was apparently barred from entering the polling booth to cast his vote. He is scared that Cossiepore would again erupt on election day on Thursday, given the constant fight between two groups of the ruling party.
"I still feel excited to be part of an election, where my vote will count. But I am apprehensive about political violence which keep us indoors," said the 70-year-old resident. But unlike Chatterjee, Nirja Rawat, a 20-year-old commerce student from Cossipore Road, is all geared up to vote for the first time. "Some people are scared about possible violence on the election day. But I don't care. I will go to the booth at all costs," he said. Nirja's aunt Durga Singh, who has been living in Cossipore for the past 30 years, hope that genuine voters would get the opportunity to exercise their franchise, thanks to the presence of central force jawans at the polling booths. "I don't think the jawans will let the goons create disturbance," Singh said. However, this time she would not hesitate to cast her vote on Thursday, Singh said.
Most residents of the area seem to be living in constant fear, the ambience of terror being created by the clashes among construction material supply syndicates operating in Cossipore-Belgachia area under the patronage of ruling party leaders. Asish Jana, a CPM worker, who has been campaigning for alliance candidate Koninica Bose, claimed the main fight was between two syndicates, one run by Anwar Khan, allegedly close to Trinamool councillor from Cossipore Sita Jaiswara, and Swapan Chakraborty, allegedly loyal to Trinamool Cossipore-Belgachia MLA Mala Saha. "Police are well aware of the politicians behind the groups but they won't touch anyone from the ruling party," Jana alleged.
The residents are also angry about the supposed revamping of a local hospital. "The government has done little other than giving the hospital a blue-and-white coat of paint. We don't get any medical care there. It being in a shambles, accident victims have to be taken to R G Kar Hospital," said Pradip De, a tea stall owner said.
A visit to the North Subarban Hospital on Cossipore Road revealed the emergency ward did not have either any doctor or nursing staff. Instead, two locals were seen resting on the beds meant for patients.
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