President Draupadi Murmu’s latest remarks on the alarming surge in violence against women, especially in West Bengal, have brought to light a glaring disconnect between political rhetoric and action. Murmu’s expression of concern cuts deep, particularly when West Bengal, under Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, seems to be teetering on the edge of lawlessness. Mamata’s audacious warning to the Centre—that even Delhi could burn if any action is taken against her government—raises an unsettling question: has India’s leadership lost its nerve? The situation in West Bengal is beyond grim. The Supreme Court has intervened in the case of the horrific rape and murder of a junior doctor at RR Kar Medical College, a clear indictment of the state’s failure. The apex court’s three-member bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has minced no words in calling out the state’s gross mishandling, including altering crime scenes and shielding guilty officials. Yet, in a brazen display of defiance, Mamata Banerjee’s administration issued directives to suppress protests, even those involving schoolchildren, demonstrating an alarming contempt for both law and decency. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inaction has begun to wear thin on his supporters, particularly those who once believed in his promises of “zero tolerance” against corruption and misgovernance. Modi’s hesitation to invoke Article 356, which allows for President’s Rule in states where governance has collapsed, is puzzling, especially given his past tough-on-crime stance. West Bengal, Karnataka—where multi-crore land scams have implicated high-ranking officials including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge—and even the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government have all seen egregious failures. Yet, Modi remains silent. Is it out of fear of setting a precedent, or is it a reluctance to be seen as overreaching in his authority? Some suggest that Modi may be positioning himself as the only Prime Minister who never used Article 356, thus avoiding the charge of central overreach. But at what cost? The unchecked chaos in states like West Bengal, where the government openly threatens violence against the Centre, is not just a failure of state governance—it’s a national crisis. Mamata Banerjee’s rhetoric echoes that of the Congress during the 2014 and 2019 elections, when they warned of nationwide unrest if Modi were to win. The Opposition’s strategy seems clear: undermine and threaten, all while daring Modi to respond.
President Murmu’s words, along with the Supreme Court’s actions, underscore the growing unrest in states like West Bengal. The Chief Minister of Assam has made it clear that Mamata’s threats will not go unanswered, but the larger responsibility rests with Modi. The Prime Minister must now decide whether to act decisively or continue to allow these provocations to fester, potentially emboldening the Opposition’s newly formed coalition, INDIA bloc of around 28 parties, to further disrupt governance. The stakes are high. Modi’s apparent reluctance to confront rogue state governments is not just about West Bengal or Karnataka. It’s about setting a standard for governance across the country. His failure to act could embolden other leaders, like Kejriwal or Siddaramaiah, to continue their defiance without fear of reprisal. The Prime Minister needs to gather his allies, like Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party and Nitish Kumar’s JDU, and forge a united front against those who would exploit his inaction. This is not a time for fence-sitting. As India stands on the precipice of a potentially explosive political landscape, Modi must choose: uphold the law and order he so often champions, or watch as his legacy is marred by his own indecisiveness. The nation is watching, and history will not be kind to those who had the power to act but chose to remain silent.
