12:43 (IST)
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
EC bans BJP's Rahul Sinha from campaigning for 48 hours
The Election Commission Tuesday barred BJP leader Rahul Sinha from campaigning for the next 48 hours for his remarks on Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar violence. Commenting on the incident, Sinha had that the central forces should have killed more people in Sitalkuchi.
Ban imposed without giving Sinha a chance to present his defence due to "urgency of the matter", says EC
12:39 (IST)
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Mamata Banerjee stages protest in Kolkata against EC ban
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee began a dharna on Tuesday at Gandhi Murti in Kolkata, ANI reported, as a mark of protest against what she called the Election Commission's "unconstitutional decision" to bar her from campaigning for 24 hours in the ongoing state Assembly polls.
Taking to Twitter, the TMC supremo on Monday said, "To protest against the undemocratic and unconstitutional decision of the Election Commission of India, I will sit on dharna tomorrow at Gandhi Murti, Kolkata from 12 noon."
Kolkata: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee sits on dharna at Gandhi Murti, as a mark of protest after the Election Commission of India (ECI) imposed a ban on her for 24 hours from campaigning in any manner from 8 pm of April 12 till 8 pm of April 13#WestBengalElections pic.twitter.com/BQR0NIIgkT
— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2021
Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates: In its order against the TMC supremo, the EC cited her repeated jibes against the central forces questioning their political neutrality, and her appeal to minority voters not to divide their votes between different political parties.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee began a dharna on Tuesday at Gandhi Murti in Kolkata, ANI reported, as a mark of protest against what she called the Election Commission's "unconstitutional decision" to bar her from campaigning for 24 hours in the ongoing state Assembly polls.
Taking to Twitter, the TMC supremo on Monday said, "To protest against the undemocratic and unconstitutional decision of the Election Commission of India, I will sit on dharna tomorrow at Gandhi
Murti, Kolkata from 12 noon."
The poll panel's order had come after Mamata's remarks against central forces and a statement which had alleged religious overtones.
"Commission hereby condemns such statements potent with serious law and order problems across the state and sternly warns Mamata Banerjee and advises her to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force," the commission said in its order.
Assembly polls in West Bengal began on 27 March, and the remaining four of the eight phases of elections will be held between 17 and 29 April.
Members of the Trinammol Congress joined Mamata in slamming the poll panel for its decision on her.
Coming down heavily on the EC, TMC national vice-president Yashwant Sinha said every institution of democracy has been compromised.
"We always had a doubt about the impartiality of the EC. But, today it has shed whatever pretence it had. Now it is clear that EC is acting at the behest of Modi/Shah and under their direct order. Every institution of democracy is compromised today. What hope do we have?" he tweeted.
Echoing him, other senior leaders of the party claimed that the poll panel was behaving like a "wing of the BJP" and its decision smacks of authoritarianism.
Derek O'Brien, the ruling party's Rajya Sabha MP, said it was a black day for India's democracy.
"EC stands for Extremely Compromised. 12 April is a BLACK DAY in our democracy. Always knew we were winning Bengal," O'Brien tweeted.
Another party leader, Kunal Ghosh, said the decision to ban the TMC chief from campaigning for 24 hours is "atrocious and smacks of authoritarianism".
"The EC is behaving like a wing of the BJP. The ban is atrocious and smacks of authoritarianism. The sole aim of the EC is to stop Mamata from campaigning as the BJP has already sensed defeat. This shameful," he stated.
The BJP, however, welcomed the decision and accused TMC of vitiating the poll discourse.
"The EC did the right thing. The way TMC leaders are instigating the people against the EC and the central forces is unacceptable," BJP leader Sourav Sikdar said.
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2QovbsU
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