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ECI bans BJP’s Dilip Ghosh from campaigning for 24 hours
With West Bengal celebrating the Bengali New Year on April 15, top leaders of various political parties engaged in the electoral battle took to the streets to hold roadshows and door-to-door campaigns instead of holding large public meetings.
The Election Commission of India banned Dilip Ghosh, Bharatiya Janata Party’s president in West Bengal, from campaigning for 24 hours beginning Thursday evening for his remarks on the Sitalkuchi firing in which four people were shot dead by central forces last week.
The poll panel also sent a notice to another senior BJP leader Sayantan Basu for his remarks on the same incident and has asked him to explain his stand within 24 hours.
“The Commission sternly warns Dilip Ghosh and advises him to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force and imposes a ban of 24 hours from 7 pm on April 15 to 7 pm on April 16 during which he shall not campaign,” the ECI order stated.
Watch | 'Won't stage dharna': Dilip Ghosh reacts to campaign ban over Sitalkuchi remarks
A day after the Sitalkuchi firing, Ghosh had said in a public meeting that there could be more incidents like Sitalkuchi in several places.
“The ECI ordered whatever it thought was right. I will stay at home and take rest. I was not getting proper sleep and time to have a proper meal because of the campaigning,” Ghosh said.
The Trinamool Congress, however, said that he should have been banned for 72 hours.
“Today (Thursday) was a holiday. He will eat sweets. He should have been banned for 72 hours. As a politician he should control his tongue,” said Mamata Banerjee in an interview on Thursday evening.
With West Bengal celebrating the Bengali New Year on April 15, top leaders of various political parties engaged in the electoral battle took to the streets to hold roadshows and door-to-door campaigns instead of holding large public meetings.
Even as Bengalis queued up outside temples to offer puja on the New Year, threats and attacks on political workers and candidates continued unabated ahead of the fifth phase of polls scheduled on Saturday.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who usually holds at least three to four public meetings every day, attended only one road show in Kolkata on Thursday. Her nephew Abhishek Banerjee also held one road show at Krishnanagar Uttar in Nadia.
None of the top leaders of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah or BJP’s national president JP Nadda were there on Thursday to drum up the party’s election campaign on the New Year. Most of the state BJP leaders too held road shows.
Both Modi and Shah, however, took to social media to wish people on the New Year.
“A New Year and a resolve for new beginnings and progress for the great land of West Bengal,” Modi tweeted in both English and Bengali.
A local TMC leader of Nanur in Birbhum threatened the Sanyukt Morcha candidate (Congress-Left-ISF alliance) Shyamoli Pradhan that her hand would be cut off.
“Neither me nor the party can support such a stand against women. I condemn such statements,” said Tapas Roy, TMC spokesperson.
Unidentified miscreants attacked the car of BJP candidate Jagannath Chatterjee at Suri in Birbhum.
On Thursday, large crowds could be seen outside temples, including the Kalighat Temple in south Kolkata, to offer puja on New Year even as Covid-19 safety protocols took a back seat.
