EC serves another notice to Mamata Banerjee, this time for berating central paramilitary forces

The Election Commission has issued yet another notice to Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – this time accusing her of flouting the Model Code of Conduct and Indian Penal Code by berating the central paramilitary forces deployed in the state for the polls.

Banerjee is sparing no efforts to ensure that a deep wedge of distrust between the state police of West Bengal and the central paramilitary forces deployed for the Assembly polls is created, the EC alleged in its notice issued on Thursday. The commission stated that it was prima facie convinced that the statements made by the Chief Minister of West Bengal against the central paramilitary forces were in violation of the Model Code of Conduct as well as Sections 186, 189 and 505 of the Indian Penal Code.

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In its latest notice to the Trinamool Congress supremo, the EC even cited the recent incident of the killing of 23 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel by the Naxals at Bijapur in Chhattisgarh to drive home the point that the paramilitary personnel had invariably done “commendable jobs” on the duties assigned to them. The poll panel stated that the “praiseworthy role” of the central forces in ensuring “free, fair, transparent and accessible elections” merited “a special mention”.

The commission accused the Chief Minister of West Bengal of making “false, provocative and intemperate” statements and making attempts to “berate and vilify” the personnel of the central paramilitary forces. It alleged that her statements were causing extreme demoralisation amongst the ranks and files of the central security forces deployed in the state for the Assembly polls.

The EC gave Banerjee time till 11:00 am on Saturday to explain her stand. The commission warned that if the Chief Minister of West Bengal failed to explain her stand within the stipulated time, it would take a decision without any further reference to her.

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‘Who gave so much power to them that the central police are threatening the women without allowing them to cast their votes?” the EC quoted Banerjee as saying during a speech on March 28 last. “I know under whose instruction they beat up and how they beat up. It is your duty to save the family of the people. If any of our mothers and sisters suffers a single stroke with the stick, attack them with ladle, spuds and knife. I am telling you. It is the right of women.”

The EC also accused her of making “highly objectionable remarks” at Cooch Behar in West Bengal on Wednesday about the personnel of the central paramilitary forces, suggesting that they might try to stop people from voting at the behest of the BJP.

She allegedly advised the people of the area to split into two groups if the personnel of the central paramilitary forces created any problem and stopped them from casting votes. One group should “restrain (gherao)” the paramilitary personnel while the other should go and cast votes, she advised the women, according to the transcript the EC referred to in its notice to her. “If you engage yourself only in restraining them, they will be very happy that you did not cast your votes. This is their plan. It is the plan of the BJP.”

It was the second notice the EC issued to Banerjee.

Read | Election Commission notice to Mamata for appealing to Muslims for votes

“Who gave so much power to them that the central police are threatening the women without allowing them to cast their votes?” the EC quoted Banerjee asking during a speech on March 28 last. “I know under whose instruction they beat up and how they beat up. It is your duty to save the family of the people. If any of our mothers and sisters suffer a single stroke with the stick, attack them with ladle, spuds and knife. I am telling you. It is the right of women.”

The EC also accused her of making “highly objectionable remarks” at Cooch Behar in West Bengal on Wednesday about the personnel of the central paramilitary forces, suggesting that they might try to stop people from voting at the behest of the BJP.

She allegedly advised the people of the area to split into two groups if the personnel of the central paramilitary forces created any problem and stopped them from casting votes. One group should “restrain (gherao)” the paramilitary personnel while the other should go and cast votes, she advised the women, according to the transcript the EC referred to in its notice to her. “If you engage yourself only in restraining them, they will be very happy that you did not cast your votes. This is their plan. It is the plan of the BJP.”

It was the second notice the EC issued to Banerjee.

The poll panel had served the first notice to the Trinamool Congress supremo on Wednesday, for allegedly flouting the Model Code of Conduct with an appeal to the state’s minority Muslims not to let the BJP split the votes of the community. The EC had acted on a complaint it had received from the BJP over Banerjee’s speech at a public meeting at Tarakeshwar in West Bengal on April 3 last. The poll panel had given the Chief Minister of West Bengal 48 hours to explain her position.

Banerjee, however, on Thursday said that even if the EC served as many as 10 show-cause notices to her, she would continue to speak against any attempt for “division of Hindu and Muslim votes”.