TMC Submits Memorandum to EC Against BJP Leaders for ‘Instigating Violence’ in West Bengal

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India (ECI) against top leaders of BJP for “spinning false narrative of brutal incident in Cooch Behar district”. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has also accused the BJP leaders for “instigating violence against the electorate in West Bengal”.

In the memorandum, the TMC has quoted BJP leaders like Dilip Ghosh, Rahul Sinha, Sayantan Basu and Arjun Singh for allegedly making inflammatory statements during their respective poll campaigns or through tweets.

“Shockingly, instead of condemning the acts of violence of CAPF of murdering four innocent people, top brass of BJP has been actively condoning the murder and brazenly suggesting that more innocent lives should have been lost at the hands of the CAPF. Aside from encouraging similar spells of violence in the ongoing elections in West Bengal, BJP has also been concocting a false and misleading narrative around the unfortunate incident at Sitalkuchi. The same is appalling, disgraceful and in gross violation of the law,” TMC said in the memorandum.

“BJP appears to have lost sight of the notion of free, fair and fearless polls, while the Election Commission of India watches as a silent spectator,” the party further said.

The TMC has further requested the poll watchdog to “immediately initiate appropriate strict legal action Dilip Ghosh, Rahul Sinha, Sayantan Basu, Arjun Singh, Saumitra Khan, Suvendu Adhikari, and BJP for their inflammatory, instigatory, inciting statements and openly threatening the electorate and restrain them from campaigning for remaining phases.”

This comes hours after a BJP delegation today submitted memorandum to the ECI regarding alleged violation of model code of conduct by TMC leader Sujata Mondal Khan. BJP has claimed that statement made by Khan against the Scheduled Caste community of West Bengal and terming them beggars by nature is a highly disparaging insulting statement.

Four people were killed as central forces opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles” in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district, police said. The Election Commission ordered stopping the voting exercise at polling station number 126 after the incident where a repoll will be held later.

Votes polled in the eight-phase elections to 294 assembly seats in West Bengal will be counted on May 2.

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