KOLKATA: Once a formidable force in West Bengal that ruled the state for more than three decades, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) looks like a shadow of its past after failing to win a single seat in the state assembly election in 2021.
In a bid to revive the party, and to stay relevant, at least in state politics, the CPI(M) launched a new app, ‘Paharae Public’. Incidentally, the app was launched just days before the July 8 West Bengal assembly election.
CPI (M) state secretary Mohammad Saleem announced the launch of this new app today. ‘Pahare Public’, which means public on guard in English, will let people raise any complaint.
People can also register their complaints through its Facebook page, QR code and website. The identity of the complainant will be kept confidential and the program will be monitored by the party-state leadership, CPI (M) sources told The New Indian.
Speaking to The New Indian, CPI(M)’s IT and social media in-charge Abin Mitra said, “Paharae public has been there since the Bogtui incident (the massacre at Bogtui village in Birbhum village following the death of a local TMC leader) took place.”
“We appealed to all to report all the acts of corruption. Through this, the corruption of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) in rural Bengal began surfacing. This is a relaunch as an election complaint cell,” Mitra added.
“Earlier, grievances used to come either via letter or fax. With the launch of this app, they are coming to the party’s state committee digitally,” he added.
At present, the entire system is running 24X7. It is being monitored by 30 CPI (M) volunteers who divide the work into three shifts.
“The state election commission’s website has created a complaint portal, but that is too complex and requires huge detailing. The website also crashes in between filing complaints, making the complainants go through the gruelling process again,” he added.
“Moreover, most of the complaints against TMC or BJP to the SEC are being compromised,” Mitra alleged.
Talking about the upcoming panchayat election, Mitra said, “This Panchayat election is different from the 2019 or 2021 elections. People have come out this time and vehemently protested against all the misdeeds. This is unique.”