TMC slams ECI observer Ajay Pal Sharma over intimidation

Uttar Pradesh-cadre IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, warning potential troublemakers of “appropriate treatment” if they try to disrupt Wednesday’s polling in West Bengal, created a fresh political dust-up with the TMC accusing the ECI-appointed police observer of overstepping his role and “intimidating” party workers.

With over a hundred-armed central paramilitary troops, an armoured vehicle, and a list of potential “trouble makers” in his pocket, the 2011-batch IPS combed the South 24 Parganas district’s Falta Assembly seat under TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s backyard of Diamond Harbour parliamentary constituency for two days on a trot.

The Prayagraj ACP, who earned the moniker ‘Singham’ for his crackdown on criminals, faced protests by Trinamool Congress supporters who raised ‘Jai Bangla’ in front of the residence as well as the election office of local TMC candidate Jahangir Khan, officials said.

Reacting to the development, TMC candidate Khan alluded to the Telugu-language action film ‘Pushpa’ and the Bollywood cop movie ‘Singham’ to say he would not allow “BJP-appointed police officials to threaten voters”.

“This is Bengal; if he is ‘Singham’, I am ‘Pushpa’. No amount of threat or coercion by the BJP-appointed police officials from Uttar Pradesh will be allowed in Falta,” he said on Tuesday.

“They came with forces and tried to pressure my people and me. Such actions are not acceptable in a democratic system.”

Eyewitnesses said that Sharma had visited the TMC candidate’s house late on Monday night and said that the authorities would take “firm and immediate steps” if there were reports of voter intimidation.

A poll panel official said Sharma visited the area after the ECI received reports that Khan’s men were allegedly collecting voter identity cards from people in the constituency and threatening them.

The protestors, however, termed those allegations “lies” and demanded that Sharma furnish “proof of voter intimidation”.

Officials said Sharma is among the 95 observers deployed by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polling in the second phase.

Labelled an “encounter specialist” and a ‘Dabangg’ (daredevil) police officer, Sharma was seen in a viral video landing up at Khan’s doorstep on Monday and warning people of strict action if anyone tried to resort to violence and intimidation on the day of the polls.

PTI could not verify the veracity of the video.

“Everyone around should clearly understand this: anyone who engages in mischief will face appropriate treatment. If we receive any report of someone attempting to create trouble or harass others, we will take them to task,” Sharma was purportedly heard in the video.

The video also showed him turning to Khan’s house and saying, “Members of Jahangir’s family are present here as well. Make sure he is informed that there are repeated reports that his associates are threatening people. If this continues, we will take severe action against them. Do not come later with complaints or regret.”

In Kolkata, Trinamool Congress leaders lashed out at the observer and the ECI, alleging the IPS officer was “overstepping” his assigned role with “direct support” from the poll body.

“The media calls him an ‘encounter specialist’. We wonder what such a police officer from Yogi Adityanath’s State is doing here? How can he visit a house and issue threats to women when the male members are not around? Has he been given the charge of arresting people without a shred of evidence?” Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.

“The ECI guideline stipulates that observers are only its eyes and ears, whose job is to observe and report, not its arms and legs. We are aware of his background, including complaints lodged against him by women,” she added.

The TMC condemns the observer’s actions in the strictest possible terms, and the party would register complaints with the ECI, Bhattacharya said.

“We already knew that the poll panel was acting as the BJP’s agent. But with each passing day, that belief is getting firmer. What else can the BJP do to grab power in Bengal?” she posed.

Another minister, Aroop Biswas, accused the ECI of flouting its own rule books and “acting according to the BJP’s instructions”.

“They are behaving as if they are in a war, intimidating voters with paramilitary jawans and armoured vehicles,” he said.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra shared a couple of archived videos on X showing a man grooving to music at what looked like a nightclub, and tagged the officer, calling him a “Fair and Lovely babua”.

She commented, “Good to see you enjoying yourself...  Hope your policing skills are better than your dancing skills.”

A BJP spokesperson, however, declined to comment, saying the post “speaks of her own taste”.

Joining the attack on the BJP, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called Sharma a “BJP agent”.

“These are unregistered underground members posing as officers. When the time comes, we won’t let them escape. They will be tracked down and punished for their misdeeds,” he said.