Kolkata: The tension over the BJP campaign on the last day at Bhabanipur, from where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting, is hardly showing any signs of dying down. The Election Commission not only asked for a detailed report from the state government but a BJP delegation met CEO Ariz Aftab and demanded imposition of Sec 144 IPC.
Taking cognisance of the incident, the Election Commission sought a detailed report from chief secretary H K Diwedi. Sources in the government said that the state has already sent the report to the commission. When asked about it, a senior official of the Chief Electoral Officer’s office said, “The commission will take the decision and communicate it to us and we will communicate it to the government.”
A three member BJP delegation led by Swapan Dasgupta, Sisir Bajoria and Pratap Bandopadhyay met CEO Ariz Aftab and demanded an election with Sec 144. Dilip Ghosh who was in the centre of the controversy demanded suspension of the election considering the deteriorating law and order situation in the constituency but the delegation preferred to go for an election with restrictions.
Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress criticised the BJP. In the official Twitter handle the party wrote “@BJP4Bengal HITS A NEW LOW!
“How DARE a gun be aimed at the public in broad daylight? Do people not have the right to protest against leaders they do not support? Such blatant violation of human rights is shameful! This compromises the safety and security of people in Bhabanipur!”
The incident took place near JaduBabu Bazar (Jadu Babu’s Market) in Bhabanipur area where former state BJP President Dilip Ghosh’s way was blocked by some Trinamool Congress supporters and he was pushed to the side of the road. The supporters started shouting the slogan ‘Joy Bangla’ — a slogan coined by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to counter the BJP’s ‘Jai Shri Ram’ — and asked him to go back.
There was a scuffle between the personal security guards of Ghosh and the Trinamool Congress supporters and the guards were seen pointing their guns to disperse the crowd. Ghosh was cordoned off and taken away from the place. One BJP supporter was injured in the scuffle.
Meanwhile, as the meteorological department has predicted heavy rain in Kolkata and South Bengal, Aftab held a meeting with the District Election Officers and asked them to be prepared for any kind of eventuality. “Election is on September 30 and hopefully there will be no rain on that day. But there are lots of preparations that need to be done on the 28th and 29th September. We are gearing up so that the election is not hampered,” a senior official at the CEO office said.
(IANS)