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The Trinamool Congress on Monday alleged that ahead of bypolls in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party's leaders are making polarising speeches aimed at "dividing the country" and urged the Election Commission to put a stop to such activities during the time period when the Model Code of Conduct is imposed.
Speaking to ANI, TMC leader and West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja said that they met with the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer today and raised the issue. "We met the Chief Electoral Officer today over a very serious issue. It is serious because BJP and BJP leaders give speeches for dividing the country, dividing the people, dividing society and inciting communal riots. There are by-elections at six places in Bengal. On November 9 in Bankura district, in his speech, LoP Suvendu Adhikari dragged religion and caste. An attempt was made to create divides between the tribals and the backward, between Hindus and Muslims. He also dragged Bangladesh into the elections," Panja said. "What has happened or not happened in Bangladesh will be seen by the governments of) Bangladesh and India. But the matters of external affairs are being made an issue and an attempt is being made to tell people that several temples have been vandalised in Bangladesh. What is true? What is false? What is the proof? This religious divide is horrible," Panja said. She also pointed out that no party can speak about such things when the Model Code of Conduct is in place. "We know that there is a model of the Election Code of Conduct. No candidate, no party can speak such things. Divides were also created in the name and religion of our Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam. We spoke with the Election Commission today against this conspiracy of BJP in West Bengal and their attempt to instigate people to create a law and order situation. We told them that it is high time...Election Commission must say that this will not be allowed. This speech should be expunged or there should be some kind of punishment," she added. Panja also exuded confidence for TMC winning the by-polls in the state and said that the party will win all six seats. "It has already won five seats and work has also been done everywhere. One seat was BJP's but they have a lot of infighting there. There is conflict among their leadership. Mamata Banerjee has worked even on the seat where we lost. So, in all these seats, people of Bengal will side with us," Panja said. Bypolls for West Bengal's six assembly seats--Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai and Madarihat will take place on November 13 with results to be declared on November 23. The by-polls were necessitated after the MLAs from these constituencies won in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)
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