Bengal Elections 2021: EC issues notice to Mamata Banerjee seeking explanation for ‘Muslim vote split’ remark
The Election Commission in its recent notice issued to West Bengal CM and TMC leader Banerjee and asked her to explain her stand within 48 hours.
The Election Commission of India on Wednesday issued a notice to West Bengal chief minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee on her appeals for seeking votes over communal grounds.
Addressing a rally on April 3, Banerjee appealed to the Muslim voters to unite against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and not let their vote be split, reported news agency ANI.
“I am requesting my minority brothers and sisters with folded hands, don’t divide the minority votes after listening to the devil person who had taken money from the BJP. He passes many communal statements and initiate clashes between the Hindu and the Muslims”, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said addressing a rally in Hooghly on April 3.
She added, “he is one of the apostles of the BJP, a BJP comrade. The comrades of CPM and BJP are roaming around with the money given by BJP to divide the minority-votes.”
The EC in its recent notice asked Ms Banerjee to explain her stand within 48 hours.
The notice was based on a complaint by a BJP delegation led by Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
EC issues notice to West Bengal CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee over her statement on 3rd April, "appealing Muslim voters to not let their vote be split among different political parties & demanding votes on communal ground for TMC". EC asks her to explain her stand within 48 hrs pic.twitter.com/nHH3ovElz0
— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2021
Ms Banerjee’s comment has attracted a lot of attention. Lashing out at Ms Banerjee, PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the TMC supremo’s appeal to Muslims to vote en bloc for her party reflects fears that minority votes are slipping out of her hands.
“Didi recently asked all Muslims to vote for her. It shows that the Muslim vote bank is slipping out of her hands. Had we said the same thing that all Hindus should unite, everybody would have criticised us. The EC would have sent us notices. We would have been censured,” Modi said.
PM Modi has addressed two public meetings during the day. He also pointed out that a similar appeal to Hindus by his party would have drawn the wrath of the media and the Election Commission.
Taking a jibe at TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, PM Modi asserted that has problems with people sporting a ‘Tilak’ and wearing saffron and her angry reactions indicate that she has already lost the elections.
Addressing a rally in North Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, the PM had said, “Recently, you appealed for Muslim unity and said their votes should not divide. It shows that Muslim vote bank, which you considered as your strength, has slipped out of our hands. It shows that you have lost the poll,” ANI reported.
