The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday prohibited ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Narendranath Chakraborty from holding any public meetings, rallies, roadshows for seven days from 10 am of March 30 till 8 pm of April 6 after a video went viral and purportedly showed him asking his workers to intimidate Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) voters.
In a separate order, the EC has directed West Bengal chief electoral officer that an FIR be filed against Chakraborty after a report from poll observer citing violation of Section 123(2) of R P Act & Section 171-C and 171-F of Indian Penal Code.
"...the Commission orders to prohibit him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, roadshows and interviews, public utterances in media in connection with ongoing bye-election for a week from 10 am of March 30 till 8 pm of April 6,” EC said in an order. It added Chakraborty’s comments violate the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
Reacting to the ban, BJP Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya said, "EC’s action against TMC MLA Naren Chakraborty for intimidating voters in Asansol is a grim reminder of the evil regime Mamata Banerjee runs. But the people of Bengal will demolish it brick by brick and bury it in some dark place from where it won’t be able to rise ever again"Amit Malviya had shared the video on Tuesday of TMC MLA Naren Chakraborty issuing threats to the voters of the saffron party.
In the 41-second viral video, Chakraborty is heard saying: “…ar jara kattor BJP, jader ke bhangano jabena tader ke chomkate hobe…Bolben apni jodi vote dite jaan amra dhore nebo BJP ke vote deben. Voter por apni kothay thakben seta apnar nijer risk. (…and those who are die-hard BJP supporters will have to be intimidated…If you go to vote we will consider that you will vote for the BJP. After poll gets over, you will have to live at your own risk)”The video emerged on a day a three-member team led by the state chief electoral officer visited Asansol and held a review meeting with district magistrate Arun Prasad and police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Neelakantam in the run up to the poll.
