Banerjee gets 2nd notice in two days over comments against central forces

The Election Commission (EC) has issued a second notice in two days to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee asking her to explain by 11am on Saturday her poll speeches in which she allegedly asked people to “gherao” central paramilitary forces on polling duty in the state.

This came hours after Banerjee challenged the EC over the first notice sent to her over her remark urging Muslims against splitting their votes. Banerjee on Thursday said it “doesn’t matter” if she is sent 10 more notices and that she will continue opposing the division of voters along religious lines.

In its fresh notice issued late on Thursday, the EC said Banerjee prima facie violated sections of the Indian Penal Code with her remarks against the central forces. It added prima facie her statements were “completely false, provocative, and intemperate”. The notice said she attempted to “berate and vilify central paramilitary forces during the electoral process”.

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The second notice came two days before the fourth phase of the elections in West Bengal to 44 assembly constituencies across six districts, including Kolkata. Polling in the state is being held in eight phases with the last phase scheduled on April 29. The results will be declared on May 2.

The fresh notice cited Banerjee’s speeches on March 28 and April 7 in which Banerjee allegedly accused central forces of intimidating voters. She allegedly urged women to hit back or surround central forces.

The notice also referred to Banerjee’s speech at Cooch Behar. It added she made “highly objectionable remarks” on the Central Reserve Police Forces.

Ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh slammed the EC over the notice. “The EC usually takes time to send such notices to TMC because they wait for the BJP’s instructions. When leaders of other political parties tag Indians as Pakistanis and Jihadis, they turn a blind eye. They have become an instrument of the BJP. This is most unfortunate,” he said, without elaborating.

BJP leader Jay Prakash Majumdar said it is unprecedented that a chief minister has been issued two notices within 48 hours. “Instead of lambasting the [EC]... at public meetings for issuing her notices, the onus is now on her to explain why she made those remarks.”

On Thursday, Banerjee again criticised the paramilitary forces on poll duty and alleged they were intimidating voters. “I have respect for the central paramilitary forces, but they are working on instructions from Delhi. They are committing atrocities on villagers before polling day... They are asking people to vote for the BJP. We will not allow this to continue,” she said in Balagarh.

At another rally in Hooghly’s Sreerampore, Banerjee said she would just like to tell them that they should not threaten the people on the instructions of the BJP. “[Union home minister] Amit Shah has sent them and has asked them to threaten villagers to vote in BJP’s favour.”

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On Thursday, Banerjee said there will be no split in votes. “Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians vote in a united manner. Do not cast a single vote in their [BJP] favour... I will always stand against the division of voters along religious lines,” Banerjee said at a rally in Howrah.

She said EC cannot do anything against her, and alleged that the election watchdog has not taken action against other leaders. “How many complaints have been filed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi? He does Hindu-Muslim every day. How many complaints have been filed against those people who referred to Nandigram’s Muslims as Pakistanis?” she asked, referring to comments of her protege-turned-foe, Suvendu Adhikari.

The EC on Wednesday sent the first notice to Banerjee days after she addressed an election rally at Tarakeshwar in Hooghly on April 3 and urged Muslim voters to not let their votes get split.

Soon after the rally, a BJP delegation lodged a complaint with EC alleging that Banerjee was demanding votes on “communal grounds”.

The BJP emerged as Banerjee’s main challenger after the 2019 national polls in the state by winning 18 out of 42 seats as TMC’s tally came down to 22 from 34.