TMC counter: BJP violated code, poll panel must act

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 15

A delegation of the Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha MPs today approached the Election Commission (EC)against the BJP’s alleged act of vitiating atmosphere ahead of the final phase of elections in West Bengal.

The TMC delegation, led Derek O’Brien, complained that the BJP violated EC’s model code of conduct during its party president Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata yesterday.

“The BJP goons from outside West Bengal vandalised the statue of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, a 19th century educationist, reformer and a key figure of Bengal Renaissance, in a college during Amit Shah’s roadshow. Vidyasagar is a cultural icon of the state and his memories strike an emotional chord with people of the state,” the TMC delegation told the EC.

“We have also told the EC that the Central forces’ personnel deployed for election duty in West Bengal are playing a partisan role in favour of the BJP,” Brien said.

The leaders submitted video clippings to support their case and sought EC intervention against “undemocratic” tactics of the BJP.

Addressing mediapersons, the leaders claimed that the poll panel had given permission only for Shah’s roadshow but the BJP had put up posters on government buildings, which was unauthorised and were removed.