Shortly after Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress levelled serious allegations against the Border Security Force, questioning its integrity and ethics, the latter has responded saying that they are an apolitical force and respect all leaders, all parties equally. “Border Security Force (BSF) is an apolitical force. We respect all leaders, all parties. We are mandated to ensure national security”.
Border Security Force (BSF) is an apolitical force: BSF on the allegations levelled by TMC leader Firhad Hakim https://t.co/5kKav0Fdwf
— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2021
The BSF was responding to allegations meted at the force by West Bengal’s Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister and Kolkata’s mayor Firhad Hakim and TMC’s secretary-general Partha Chatterjee.
TMC leaders attack BSF
All India Trinamool Congress leaders Partha Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, Subrata Bakshi and Subrata Mukherjee had on Thursday met the full bench of Election Commission of India to discuss on the issues related to the upcoming Assembly elections. The TMC leaders stated before the EC that the BSF is threatening people in the border areas of the state to cast their votes in favour of a particular political party.
The TMC leaders reportedly also complained to the EC over the BJP’s claims about illegal immigrants and Rohingya refugees featuring in voters’ list, saying that it is the central government’s fault if it is true.
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora had arrived in the state with EC’s full bench on Wednesday evening on a two-day visit ahead of the high voltage 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls.
TMC accuses BSF of working at the behest of BJP
After meeting with Election Commission of India officials, the Kolkata’s mayor Firhad Hakim told the reporters: “We told Election Commission (EC) that the BJP is sending BSF to nearby villages of the border. They are using it to terrorise people so that people vote for them. EC said that they have their own way to cross-check it.”
The controversial mayor of Kolkata-Firhad Hakim
For the uninitiated Firhad Hakim is the same controversial TMC leader who had earlier called a Muslim-dominated area of Kolkata as “Mini-Pakistan.” In order to pacify Muslim rioters, during the anti-CAA riots that had seen extensive vandalism, arson and damage to public properties, Hakim, referring to the rioters as ‘brothers’ claimed such acts by Muslims will ‘help BJP to come to power in Bengal’ and then the Muslims have to ‘keep their heads down’, like they allegedly do in UP. Hakim was also found mocking the brutal murders of the BJP workers in the state.
Meanwhile, Partha Chatterjee told the media, after meeting the ECI delegation, that West Bengal is in a dangerous situation and the ECI must look into it.
Election commission visiting West Bengal to overview preparations for Assembly polls
The state poll panel was meeting representatives of various political parties before holding discussions with officials of central and state regulatory agencies. According to reports, the state poll panel will be holding a review meeting with the divisional commissioners, district election officers and senior police officers soon to discuss the upcoming Assembly polls in the state.
Prior to this the election body had visited WB on December 19th, 2020 and had asked all the DMs and SPs of the state to keep a close watch on the law and order situation in West Bengal and send them daily reports regarding the same. It asked the police authorities to identify the trouble makers so that arrangements could be made to put all of them behind bars once election notification is issued. The EC had specified that they are willing to take all possible steps so that voters can exercise their franchise in the politically sensitive state of West Bengal.