Accusing Trinamool Congress workers of “hijacking democracy” amid reports of violence during polling in West Bengal on Monday, the BJP moved the Election Commission of India reiterating its demand for deployment of Central forces during election in that State.
A delegation of BJP leaders, including Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Vijay Goel, submitted a memorandum to the EC seeking action against the Trinamool. Earlier, the BJP had sought the declaration of all polling booths in West Bengal as sensitive and the deployment of Central forces. After their meeting with the ECI, Mr. Naqvi told reporters that the leaders had raised the issue of Trinamool workers “hijacking democracy”, as well as model code of conduct violations by Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
In its memorandum, the BJP wrote that “as the polling in the fourth phase of election is continuing, widespread violence has been reported” from various places in West Bengal.
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“The Commission is requested to take effective steps to curb the violence and empower the Central Armed forces wherever deployed to take effective action to bring the situation under control,” the memorandum read.
The delegation also submitted a memorandum seeking action against Mr. Gandhi for allegedly “repeatedly” violating the poll code. The memorandum said Mr. Gandhi had “deliberately and mischievously” misquoted the Supreme Court order on the Rafale deal to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“While we have brought such instances to the notice of the Commission from time to time, we had also hoped that the electoral officers of the State would take suo motu cognisance and take affirmative action to stop these senseless accusations...We request the Commission to take immediate action against spread of falsehoods and violation of election code and model code of conduct,” the memorandum read.
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The BJP leaders also raised their concern over the alleged “partisan attitude” of the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director General of Police. In another memorandum, the BJP leaders said the DEO of Jabaplpur had denied permission to Mr. Modi to hold a public meeting allegedly at the behest of a Congress candidate and the Chief Secretary.