West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee barred from campaigning for 24 hours

The Election Commission on Monday barred West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours for her remarks against central forces and a statement which had alleged religious overtonesCommission hereby condemns such statements potent with serious law and order problems across the states and sternly warns Mamata Banerjee and advises her to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force the order saidIt said that the commission also imposes a ban of 24 hours on Ms Mamata Banerjee from campaigning in any manner from 8 pm of April 12 till 8 pm of April 13To protest against the undemocratic and unconstitutional decision of the Election Commission of India I will sit on dharna tomorrow at Gandhi Murti Kolkata from 12 noonmdash Mamata Banerjee MamataOfficial April 12 2021Assembly elections in West Bengal began on March 27 and four of the eight phases of the polls have been completed The poll panels order cited two separate notices to Banerjee on April 7 and April 8 and her subsequent repliesOn her speech which had alleged religious overtones the Election Commission EC said that Banerjee has selectively chosen parts of her speech in her reply dated April 9 and did not mention anything on the context of key parts of her speechIn her reply to the notice the Trinamool Congress leader had said that I did not seek to influence the voters to cast their vote for her on religious segmentary lines rather I categorically spoke in favour of religious harmony in line with the spirit of Model Code of Conduct and the Constitution of IndiaBy using words I also will tell my Hindu brothers and sisters not to make division amongst yourselves as Hindu and Muslim it is evident that my speech was not to incite religious sentiments but to maintain peace and harmony the chief minister had said The EC order reproduced the key part of her reported speechThe text of Banerjees speech quoted in the commissions order read I am requesting my minority brothers and sisters with folded hands dont divide the minority votes after listening to the devil shaitaan person who had taken money from the BJP He passes many communal statements and initiates clashes between the Hindu and the MuslimsThe comrades of CPM and BJP is roaming around with the money given by BJP to divide the minority votes Please dont allow them to do so Keep in mind that if the BJP comes to the government then you will be in severe danger read text of her speech quoted in the EC orderOn her reported remarks against central armed police forces Banerjee told the poll panel that she had only called upon the voters specifically voters who are women to protest democratically by gherao if and when somebody including the forces created any obstruction in their right to voteGherao is one of the democratic ways of registering public protest and accepted and there is no reason why gherao should be considered as illegal Be it noted that the multidimensional word gherao has been a legitimate entry in the in the political lexicon of West Bengal since the late 1960s and in recent years more frequently than not the word has been used to connote peaceful satyagraha against authorities by silent victims of a situation she saidThe order said in her reply on remarks against central forces Banerjee has yet again conveniently left out key parts of her speech perhaps due to selective amnesia The order reproduced portion of her speech to drive home the point that she had violated the model code provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the Indian Penal Codel know under whose instruction they beat up and how they beat up It is your duty to save the family of the people If any of our mothers and sisters suffers a single stroke with the stick attack them with ladle spuds and knife I am telling you It is the right of women And if anyone of our mothers and sisters is denied entry in the voting compartment all of you come out and revolt the order said reproducing portions of her speechThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever