KOLKATA: In a state that had been scarred by Partition and its violence, religion always played a role, though as an undercurrent. But in the past 10 years things have changed and suddenly religion seems more in-your-face, more overt. There’s been a steady increase in the number of Ram Navami processions, and Hanuman temples have sprouted across the state — a growing testimony to the rise of Hindutva.
Muslims in Bengal, on the other hand, have also found a way to assert their identity, by interweaving political messaging into religious practices. The “us” and “them” feeling is now giving way to acrimony even among educated urban minds. Such newly formed social habits are actively aiding the politics of polarisation in Bengal.
Numbers tell the story
There are close to 20 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal where the Hindu population ranges from 35% to 50%, an ideal ground for polarisation. These are apart from the Lok Sabha seats such as Berhampore, Murshidabad and Jangipur in Murshidabad district, and Basirhat in North 24 Parganas, where the Muslim population is far above the majority mark.
Muslim voters who had earlier supported Congress and Left, have, by and large, been steadily backing Trinamool Congress against its main opponent, BJP, since 2016. The Lokniti-CSDS postpoll survey reveals that Muslim support for Trinamool grew from 51% in 2016 to 75% in 2021, while the Hindu support for BJP shot up to 57% in 2019 from 12% in 2016, and then dipped to 50% in 2021. lastest update the citytime360.com