Bengal polls: EC issues notice to Mamata again, this time over remarks on central forces

KOLKATA: The Election Commission on Friday served second notice on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for her statement against central police personnel deployed in the state on election duty. 

The Commission asked Mamata to reply by Saturday.

Two days ago, the CM was served the first notice for urging the Muslim electorates not to split their vote bank.

In the notice, the Commission said Mamata Banerjee prima facie violated various sections of the Indian Penal Code with her remarks against the central force. "Prima facie, the completely false, provocative, and intemperate statements attempted to berate and vilify central paramilitary forces during the election process," the notice said.

While addressing rallies, Mamata Banerjee, on several occasions, hit out at central force alleging it was working at the behest of the BJP and threatening people to either cast votes in favour of the saffron camp or stop going to the polling booth.

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The Trinamool Congress supremo, who addressed four back-to-back rallies on Friday, asked why no complaint has been registered against BJP’s star campaigners and Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite their references to Hindu and Muslim vote banks in his speeches.

"Why no complaint has been filed against Narendra Modi who talk about Hindu and Muslim (vote bank) every day. How many complaints have been lodged against those who had uttered the word mini Pakistan during the Nandigram campaigns?" Mamata asked.

BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, who contested against Mamata in Nandigram, uttered the phrase 'mini Pakistan' in his speech while accusing the CM of practising appeasement politics.

Mamata said she will continue criticising CRPF’s interference till it stops working for the BJP.

Referring to Commission’s first notice, Mamata had on Thursday said the EC can issue 10 notices to her but her reply will be the same.