National Conference President and Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday criticised the Election Commission of India over what he described as the heavy deployment of central forces and administrative reshuffling during the West Bengal elections. His remarks came while speaking to reporters on the ongoing polling process in the state.

Abdullah questioned the scale of security deployment in West Bengal, asking whether the move implied a lack of trust in the state’s voters. He said, “Is Bengali not being trusted?” and argued that citizens of West Bengal should be allowed to choose their leadership freely without external pressure or influence. He also expressed concern over what he called the increasing involvement of central agencies in state-level electoral processes.

The veteran politician also criticised the language used by some national leaders against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, describing it as “unparliamentary” and inappropriate in a democratic setup. He stressed that respectful political discourse is essential for maintaining democratic values in a diverse country like India.

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Referring to the deployment of central police forces and movement of bureaucrats during elections, Abdullah questioned the intent behind such decisions. He noted that similar actions involving personnel transfers from Jammu and Kashmir and other states were being justified in the name of ensuring peaceful elections. He asked whether such measures implied that people in different states were not trusted to manage their own democratic processes.

Abdullah also expressed disappointment with the Election Commission’s handling of the situation, stating that he “pitied” the institution for its approach. Without naming any political party, he suggested that certain methods adopted during elections were not ideal and urged that democratic processes should not undermine regional identities or voter confidence.

Beyond electoral issues, Abdullah warned about rising communal tensions in the country, describing them as a greater concern than separatism, which he said had significantly declined. He emphasised that India’s strength lies in its “unity in diversity” and cautioned that divisions along religious lines for political gain could threaten national stability. The second and final phase of polling in West Bengal concluded on Wednesday, with results scheduled to be announced on May 4.

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