EC's move to curtail campaigning will expose people to COVID-19, destroy Bengal: TMC

TMC leader Derek O'Brien (ANI) — TMC leader Derek O'Brien **(ANI)**

1 min read . Updated: 17 Apr 2021, 06:50 AM IST Staff Writer

Lashing out at Amit Shah, the TMC leader said that the Union Home Minister does not stand for 'Home Minister' anymore

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien on Friday criticised the Election Commission's decision to curtail campaign timings for the remaining phases of West Bengal assembly polls, saying it will expose people to COVID-19 and destroy the state.

Speaking at a press conference, O'Brien said: "Today, the umpire has said no campaigning from 7 pm to 10 am. This is very suitable to those living in Lutyens' bungalows in Delhi. They have a nice breakfast in Delhi, fly down to Kolkata, do some meetings in heat and they will go back. So, this will expose people to COVID-19 but it will meet one of their prime objectives. It will destroy more of Bengal and kill more people from Bengal."

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"Our stand has been very clear. Hold safety of the citizens first, politics later. That is why, today, (TMC leaders) Subrata Bakshi and Partha Chatterjee went to the EC. Before that we had made the request, we want all three phases to be clubbed into one phase. But the umpire has said no. So we will listen to the umpire," he also said.

Lashing out at Amit Shah, the TMC leader said that the Union Home Minister does not stand for "Home Minister" anymore.

"Let me also challenge the Home Minister like I challenged him in the Parliament and said he would not be able to make the CAA rules. Let me challenge him, don't play mindgames with West Bengal. You are three per cent behind the TMC and in the Lok Sabha elections, you are more than double that percentage behind TMC," he further said, while exuding confidence that Mamata Banerjee will be sworn in as the Chief Minister in May.

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