Mamata Banerjee gets banned by Election Commission to campaign for the next 24 hours
The Election Commission had already served two notices to the West Bengal Chief Minister last week, alleging that her responses to the notices revealed "selective amnesia
The Election Commission had already served two notices to the West Bengal Chief Minister last week, alleging that her responses to the notices revealed "selective amnesia on Commission of India banned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for next 24 hours on Monday for her "highly insinuating and provocative remarks," which the poll body said has "serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process."
With her remarks on Muslim votes in her speech, the Trinamool Congress leader was accused of violating the law, as well as reportedly encouraging citizens to rebel against central security forces.
The ban will be in effect from 8 p.m. on Monday until 8 p.m. on April 13, just days before the fifth phase of West Bengal assembly elections, which will take place on April 17.
Mamata Banerjee responded by tweeting that she would protest the ban imposed on her with a dharna.
In its decision, the Election Commission denounced her comments as "potent with severe law and order problems across the state(s)" and urged her to "to desist making such statements when making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force."
The Election Commission had already served two notices to the West Bengal Chief Minister last week, alleging that her responses to the notices revealed "selective amnesia."
During a speech in the region of Cooch Behar, Banerjee’s comments on the Central Reserve Police Forces were found to be ‘highly objectionable’ by the election body, where she said, "If the CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) create disturbances, I tell you ladies, a group of you go and restrain (gherao) them while another group will go to cast their votes. Don't waste your vote. If you engage yourself only in restraining them they will be happy that you did not cast your vote. This is their plan. This is the plan of the BJP. And your plan will be that you will not be scared if they try to intimidate you coming to your village on the one hand, and on the other you just talk to them."
The decision of the election body drew immediate flak from the Trinamool Congress camp, some calling the decision ‘undemocratic and unconstitutional’ while Derek O’Brien tweeted calling the Election Commission ‘extremely compromised’.
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