The Election Commission (EC) has sent a notice to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee for her “highly objectionable” statements about Central paramilitary forces on election duties in the State saying her remarks are demoralising the personnel. Among the statements cited by the EC in its notice was her appeal to women voters to “gherao” Central forces if they caused disturbance to voting. The Chief Minister has been asked to respond to the notice by 11 am on Saturday. This is the second time that a notice has been issued to Banerjee by the poll body.
The EC said prima facie, the completely false, provocative and intemperate statements by Banerjee attempted to berate and vilify central paramilitary forces during the electoral process. Citing statements by Mamata, the notice said: “...prima facie, completely false, provocative and intemperate statements made by Ms. Mamata Banerjee, Chairperson of AITC, who is also the Hon’ble CM of West Bengal, to berate and vilify Central Paramilitary Forces during the electoral process, are causing extreme demoralisation amongst the ranks and file of these forces…”
The EC said it found Banerjee statements to be in violation of the Model Code of Conduct as well as Sections 186 (voluntarily obstructing public servant from discharging public functions), 189 (threat of injury to public servant) and 505 (making a statement with intent to incite any class or community of persons to commit an offence against any other class or community) of the Indian Penal Code.
The EC notice said “It is more than obvious that Ms Mamata Banerjee, Chairperson of AITMC, has been consistent in berating and demoralising the Central para-military forces, who often played a significant role in assisting the concerned state government and governments of union territories in restoration of law and order and/or as and when requisitioned by the State Governments etc. in their day to day functioning also.
“In fact, Banerjee is sparing no effort to ensure that a deep wedge and drift is creating amongst them which is bound to have serious consequential damages after the process of election is over. It is extremely unfortunate that the political battles are thus sought to be fought in this manner instead of being fought in the campaign trail,” it said.
The notice issued on Thursday night said the West Bengal Chief Minister’s barbs and false accusations are vilifying the very forces “who have been rendering a yeoman service since late 80s, election after election, and have made a commendable contribution especially in ensuring area domination and causing deterrence for anti-social hooligans by their sheer presence, thereby playing a major role in assisting the ECI to conduct free, fair, transparent and accessible elections”.
Making it a point to record its appreciation of the Central forces, EC said they have invariably done commendable job on the duties assigned to them in all sectors, to the extent of laying down their lives, the most recent being the tragic episode of Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. “It also needs to be placed on record that they and many other ministries and departments of the Union government and departments of state governments assist the ECI for the conduct of elections. But the praiseworthy role of central forces in ensuring free, fair, transparent and accessible elections merits a special mention,” it stated.
In a strongly worded notice, the poll body deemed the statements made by the TMC supremo on March 28 and April 7 as an attempt to “berate and vilify Central Paramilitary Forces during the electoral process.” This, it adds, was “causing extreme demoralisation amongst the ranks and file of these forces.”
The EC notice said a delegation of TMC leaders had alleged during the Commission’s visit to West Bengal in February 21 that Border Security Force personnel were intimidating villagers living along the border to vote for a particular party. The EC said the delegation was asked to give empirical evidence of the allegation, but it did not do so.
In an election rally on Thursday, Mamata claimed that central forces on poll duty in West Bengal were working under the instructions of the Central Government. Mamata also accused the forces of committing atrocities on villagers and harassing women. Addressing a public meeting Alipurduar district, the TMC boss also accused the Election Commission of turning a blind eye to the “excesses” of the CRPF, CISF, BSF and the ITBP.
The poll body on Wednesday issued a notice to Mamata for “openly demanding votes on communal grounds”. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief has been directed to explain her remarks within 48 hours of receipt of the notice, failing which the commission would take a decision without further reference to her.