New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Friday issued notice to West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee for her statements against Central Forces on 28th March and 7th April. The EC has sought her reply by April 10.
This is the second notice issued to her by Election Commission. Banerjee on April 7 urged women activists of her party to “gherao” CRPF personnel deployed in the state on election duty. She alleged they were acting as BJP workers and targeting women, in particular, to prevent them from voting.
The EC said prima facie, the completely false, provocative and intemperate statements by Banerjee attempted to berate and vilify central paramilitary forces during the electoral process.
READ: BJP stages protest over denial of permission for Mithun Chakraborty's road show
Mamata said if the CRPF prevented people from voting, some women must gherao (surround and block) them while other must use the opportunity to vote. “I respect the CRPF. They are real soldiers. But I do not respect the BJP’s CRPF. They are beating women and harassing people,” she alleged, casting aspersions on the paramilitary force that recently lost 22 men in an ambush by Naxals in Chhattisgarh.
The CM accused the BJP of taking recourse to terror tactics in the third phase of voting. She said it was difficult to describe the torture endured by the TMC on Tuesday.
READ: Bengal polls: Campaigning ends amid intense battle between BJP, TMC ahead of phase IV
The BJP took strong exception to Mamata’s remarks and urged the Election Commission to bar her from campaigning. In a letter to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, the BJP said given the present situation, Mamata’s remark on the CRPF should be treated as “seditious and anti-national”. “The TMC must be derecognised as a political party,” demanded the BJP letter signed by Rajya Sabha MP Ashwini Vishnaw, industrialist-turned-BJP leader Shishir Bajoria and BJP Mahila Morcha general secretary Amrita Banerjee.
READ: EC can serve 10 notices, I'll continue to oppose dividing voters on religious lines: Mamata Banerjee
With PTI inputs
