CORRUPTION AS POLITICAL VANDALISM IN BENGAL POLITICS: ROLE OF THE RULER SINCE 2011.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/eijhss.v2i3.261Keywords:
Corruption, Political Vandalism, Governance, Politics, Administrations AdministratorAbstract
Using corruption as a setting for this study, the author analyses Bengal politics to identify it as political vandalism that erodes democracy and faith. Looking at how governance, accountability and citizen engagement have been met in West Bengal after the elected administration came to power from the later part of 2011, it has increasingly been accused of corrupt practices. The paper also examines micro level factors such as policy-making structures, civil service, political systems, and political party systems in relation to corrupt practices due to historical antecedents, political connections, and organizations structures and culture. It also looks at the actions of civil society and the judiciary in check on elected leaders. This study shows how the-political vandalism associated with corruption undermines ethical indexes and democratic governance in Bengal. Lastly, the paper synthesizes its arguments on the need to promote the transparency, accountability, and effective civil involvement in the fight against corruption, which has deeply rooted itself in the region.
References
Bandyopadhyay, J. (2017). Corruption and Democracy in West Bengal: The New Political Culture. – Journal of Political Studies, Vol 25,#2,pp 123-140
2.Basu, A. (2016). Institutional Corruption in Bengal Politics: Trinamool Era: A Study of Political Change in West Bengal. Vol 24, No 1, 45-62 Asian Journal of Political Science.
Chatterjee, P. (2011). The Politics of the Governed: Notes toward the Theory of Populism in Most of the Planet. Columbia University Press.
Rose-Ackerman, S. (1999). Corruption and Government: This paper analyzes the reasons for the resignation, effects of such actions on the organization, and the ways to eliminate the problem among civil servants. Cambridge University Press.
Sarkar, T. (2019). Clientelism and Corruption in West Bengal: A Historical Perspective. RACTF from Indian Historical Review, Vol 46, No 1, pp 1-18.
Sahu, S. S. (2020). Judicial Accountability in the Context of Political Corruption in India: The West Bengal Experience. Vol 11 No 2 pp 34-56 Indian Journal of Law and Justice.
Varshney, A. (2018). Civic Engagement and Political Accountability in India: The Role of Civil Society. Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 456-474.
Chatterjee, Partha. The Politics of the Governed: Reflections on Popular Politics in Most of the World. Columbia University Press, 2004.
Roy, Dayabati. Rural Politics in India: Political Stratification and Governance in West Bengal. Cambridge University Press, 2013.
Bhattacharyya, Dwaipayan. Government as Practice: Democratic Left in a Transforming India. Cambridge University Press, 2016.
Jaffrelot, Christophe & Sanjay Kumar (Eds.). Rise of the Plebeians? The Changing Face of Indian Legislative Assemblies. Routledge, 2009.
Dasgupta, Abhijit. Minorities and the State: Changing Social and Political Landscape of Bengal. Sage, 2012.
Bhattacharyya, Harihar. “Decentralised Governance, Corruption and State Politics in India: The Case of West Bengal.” The Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 71, No. 2, 2010.
Banerjee, Sumanta. “Populism and the Politics of Patronage: Bengal's New Political Culture.” Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 50, No. 44, 2015.
Basu, Pradip. “The Paradox of Popular Politics: The Rise of TMC and the Fall of Left in Bengal.” Journal of Political Studies, 2014.
Ghosh, Buddhadeb. “The Bengal Puzzle: Governance Without Development?” Social Scientist, Vol. 43, No. 3–4, 2015.
Chaudhuri, Manjari. “Trinamool Congress and the Transformation of Bengal Politics.” South Asia Research, Vol. 38, Issue 2, 2018.
Transparency International India. India Corruption Study Report, various years (2011–2024).
National Election Watch & Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Analysis of Affidavits of West Bengal MLAs and MPs (2011–2021).
PRS Legislative Research. Legislative Performance and Governance in West Bengal, Annual Reports.
Centre for Media Studies (CMS). India Corruption Study 2018–2023.Sengupta, Debraj. “Syndicate Raj and the Politics of Extortion in Bengal.” The Telegraph, 2017.
Ghosh, Durbar. “Cut Money and Political Violence: Understanding Bengal’s Voter Apathy.” Scroll.in, 2021.
Dutta, Ananya. “School Jobs Scam and the Crisis in TMC.” The Hindu, 2022.
Lahiri, Indrajit. “Corruption Charges Against Bengal Ministers: A Political Timeline.” India Today, 2023.
“SSC Scam: A Timeline of Corruption in Bengal Education Sector.” NDTV, July 2022.
“CBI and ED Investigations in Bengal: Patterns of Political Vandalism.” The Wire, 2023.
