The Election Commission on Sunday imposed a 24-hour campaign ban on two candidates – one each from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP. The ban on campaigning by the leaders will be in force from 7 PM on April 18 to 7 PM on April 19.
The EC banned TMC candidate Sujata Mondal for her “SC voters are beggars” comment. Mondal is BJP MP Saumitra Khan’s wife.
The Election Commission had earlier served a notice to Mondal after they received a complaint from a BJP delegation, which had accused Mondal of making the comment during an interview to a news channel.
Mondal was asked to explain her comment to the EC. The EC observed that Mondal violated the Model Code of Conduct with her statement denigrating the Scheduled Caste community in West Bengal and could have caused tensions between different communities in the state.
“The Commission hereby sternly warns Sujata Mondal and advises her to desist from using such statement while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force,” the EC’s ban order stated.
In her defence, Mondal had asserted that she had made the contentious statements in good faith and denied violating the MCC. EC’s action was based on a complaint by Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
TMC has fielded Mondal from the Arambagh assembly constituency. Mondal had joined the TMC in December 2020.
The EC also imposed a ban on BJP Bengal general secretary and party candidate Sayantan Basu from campaigning for 24 hours for his comment in connection with the Sitalkuchi incident.
The electoral watchdog had issued showcause notice to Basu for his “inflammatory statement” while addressing a public rally in Bengal. Basu had expressed regret for his remarks and submitted that he had never intended to make any statement contravening the MCC.
Basu was alleged to have said: “Don’t play the game too much, we will play the game of Sitalkuchi. If you kill one, we will kill four of you. Sitalkuchi has witnessed it.”
The Commission has carefully considered his reply and is of the considered view that he has violated the ‘General Conduct of Model Code of Conduct for the Guidance of Political Parties and Candidates’ and made highly provocative remarks which could have a very serious consequence on the general maintenance of Law and Order thereby adversely affecting the election process, the EC said in its order imposing a 24-hour ban on Basu Five persons were killed in Sitalkuchi in firing by the CISF, which alleged the mob had attacked the force. Politics has since been in full play over the deaths.