Kolkata: All India Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim on Thursday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party and alleged that it is using Border Security Force to 'terrorise' people to vote in the party's favour for the upcoming state elections.
"We told Election Commission (EC) that the BJP is sending BSF to nearby villages of the border. They are using it to terrorise people so that people vote for them. EC said that they have their own way to cross-check it," said Hakim after meeting with Election Commission of India officials.
He also claimed that "BJP is provoking hatred in the state through communal speeches and derogatory slogans which will divide the society."
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Our Hearts Herbeauty All India Trinamool Congress leaders Subrata Bakshi, Partha Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee met the full bench of Election Commission of India to discuss on the issues related to the upcoming Assembly elections.
"BJP had alleged that names of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas figured in the voters' list, that too around 10 per cent. We told the Election Commission that it is direct blame on you since you make the list," said Hakim.
He said that the Election Commission has noted their grievances and will look into them.
The tenure of the Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal will come to an end on May 30. The elections in West Bengal are slated to take place in 2021 for 294 Assembly seats.
TMC General Partha Chatterjee also alleged that a political party was trying to influence voters along the Indo-Bangla border with the help of Border Security Force (BSF) personal ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal.
Chatterjee was talking to reporters after meeting Election Commission full bench, which is on a two-visit to the poll-bound state. The ruling Trinamool Congress was represented by three ministers of the Mamata Banerjee-government, Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee and Frihad (Bobby) Hakim.
BSF refutes TMC leaders' allegations
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday said the force was "apolitical" in response to allegations made by Trinamool Congress (TMC) that met a full bench of the Election Commission and claimed that the BSF was intimidating people in border areas of West Bengal to cast their votes in favour of a particular political party.
"We told Election Commission (EC) that the BJP is sending BSF to nearby villages of the border. They are using it to terrorise people so that people vote for them. EC said that they have their own way to cross-check it," said TMC leader Firhad Hakim after meeting with Election Commission of India officials to discuss issues related to the upcoming Assembly Elections.
"Border Security Force (BSF) is an apolitical force," the statement by BSF said.
With inputs from agencies
