Kolkata: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) with a complaint against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of gross violation of the model code of conduct (MCC), which is already in force in the state.
In the complaint, a copy of which is available with IANS, the BJP pointed out that while clauses 9.3 and 9.4 of Chapter 9 of the MCC prohibit the display of hoardings and photographs of political functionaries, including chief ministers and ministers, in public places at public expense once the MCC comes into force, the Kalighat Skywalk Project, adjacent to the iconic Kalighat Kali temple near the Chief Minister’s residence, a state government project, still displayed her picture.
The communique sent to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, by the state BJP unit read: “That it is most pertinent to state that Ms. Mamata Banerjee is not only the incumbent Chief Minister but is also supremo of Trinamool Congress and proposed candidate from the 159 AC Bhabanipur, and the said location at Kalighat squarely falls within the geographical limits of the said constituency.”
It also pointed out that the continued display of her photographs as the Chief Minister was in gross violation of both the MCC and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The communique further prayed that the office direct the immediate removal of all such hoardings, banners, and photographs of Banerjee, including the one displayed at the Kalighat Skywalk on Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, Kolkata, and that it take the necessary action in accordance with law against the culprits.
At the time the report was filed, there was no reaction from the West Bengal government or the ruling Trinamool Congress on the matter.
Earlier, the Chief Minister addressed three back-to-back rallies across North Bengal as a run-up to the two-phase assembly elections in the state next month. From one of the rallies, she raised allegations against the CAPF companies already deployed in the state.
She said that every vote against the BJP would be a piece of revenge against the ECI for causing inconvenience to the people through the special intensive revision.
She added that she had immense respect for the CAPF, but now she saw that in West Bengal they were acting as the BJP’s agents and even carrying the BJP’s flags.
“The women of West Bengal will have to take special initiative this time to protect the polling booths from morning on polling days. If you want peace in West Bengal for five years, you will have to protect the booths for a day and prevent outsiders from electoral manipulations. Come out on the streets with whatever you have at home,” the Chief Minister said.
She also launched a scathing attack against the Commission for transferring, replacing, and deputing bureaucrats and police officers from West Bengal to other states without giving prior intimation.
(IANS)
