Bengal Elections 2021: Mamata Banerjee cancels all her public rallies; says “We will reach out to people virtually”
Mamata Banerjee in a statement on Thursday, pointed out that the TMC will reach out to the people virtually and the party will soon share an updated schedule of the virtual meetings which will be held shortly.
The Chief Minister of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (April 22), cancelled all her pre-scheduled meetings amid the ongoing assembly elections in the state.
Banerjee further pointed out that the TMC will reach out to the people virtually and the party will soon share an updated schedule of the virtual meetings which will be held shortly.
“In the wake of upsurge in #COVID19 cases across the country and the ECI Order dated 22nd April, 2021, I am cancelling all my prescheduled meetings and we will reach out to the people virtually.
We will be sharing the updated schedule of the virtual meetings shortly”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote in a tweet on Thursday.
In the wake of upsurge in #COVID19 cases across the country and the ECI Order dated 22nd April, 2021, I am cancelling all my prescheduled meetings and we will reach out to the people virtually.
We will be sharing the updated schedule of the virtual meetings shortly.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 22, 2021
The recent decision comes in view of the surging Covid-19 cases in the country and the order passed by the Election Commission of India, dated April 22, 2021.
The EC order said the commission has noted “with anguish” that many political parties and candidates are still not adhering to the prescribed safety norms during the public gatherings, therefore, “permission for roadshow, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies, if granted already, stands withdrawn.”
Earlier in the day, the Calcutta High Court warned on the alarming situation and said, “If EC won’t act the court will”. West Bengal has witnessed an alarming rise in the Covid-19 cases.
The court reportedly expressed its dissatisfaction with the Election Commission of India (ECI) over enforcement of Covid-19 health safety norms during the ongoing West Bengal assembly election process, including campaigning.
West Bengal on Wednesday registered its highest single-day spike of 10,784 fresh Covid-19 cases, which took the tally in the state to 6,88,956, suggests the data released by the Union Health Ministry.
The death toll also rose to 10,710 after 58 fresh fatalities were reported.
Meanwhile, the sixth phase of polling in West Bengal recorded at least 79.09 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm in 43 assembly constituencies.
According to the reports, polling was held between 7 am and 6.30 pm at 14,480 polling stations in 17 assembly constituencies in the North 24 Parganas district, nine each in Nadia and Uttar Dinajpur districts, and eight in Purba Bardhaman district.
“Polling was by and large peaceful today, apart from a few incidents of violence,” a senior official of the CEOs office reportedly said in Kolkata, reported by the Zee News.
