BJP accuses Mamata Banerjee of intimidation in campaign speeches, files complaint to ECI

Kolkata, March 31 (IANS) The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Tuesday, submitted a complaint at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of incitement, intimidation, threats and making inflammatory speeches in her election campaigns which violates the model code of conduct (MCC) in force in the state.

In the joint letter to the CEO from BJP’s state president, party's Lok Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya and the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, it has been claimed that such inflammatory speeches by the Chief Minister pose a serious threat to the integrity of the ongoing electoral process, violating the MCC, electoral and criminal laws.

The BJP has claimed that from her speeches, it was clear that the sole aim of the Chief Minister was to instil fear and coerce voters, which was a threat to free, fair, and peaceful elections.

Thereafter, the BJP has given a detailed list of such speeches allegedly made by the Chief Minister during her series of campaign rallies at different pockets in West Bengal.

“It is due to such public threats by the Chief Minister that the State Police force has become mere passive spectators, resulting in the perpetrators being emboldened to carry out violence. It is noteworthy to point out here that similar speeches were made by her in the previous Assembly elections in 2021, which had enticed pre- and post-election violence as well as unrest throughout the State of West Bengal. In a matter of just 45 days, after counting more than 55 of our karyakartas were killed,” read the letter to the CEO.

It has also urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take immediate cognizance of the statements and incidents, initiate appropriate proceedings under the MCC, and direct the initiation of appropriate and firm legal proceedings under various provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1951, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including the filing of an FIR.

The BJP has also requested the ECI to evaluate the possibilities of banning the Chief Minister from participating in the election campaign rallies.

“Since the local police are complicit and therefore ineffective, ensure enhanced deployment of central forces in sensitive and vulnerable areas and deploy more IAS and IPS officers, from outside the State of West Bengal, as ECI observers to ensure that the state administration and police act impartially and decisively against all acts of violence or intimidation,” read the letter.

--IANS