TMC workers manhandle EC officials

The alleged goading by Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool workers against the Election Commission (EC) officials, following the fallout between her government and the poll panel regarding transfer of state administrative officials, has emboldened party workers who heckeled at EC officials in Malda in north Bengal on Thursday.

A group of Trinamool activists were shown manhandling a handful of EC officials and employees who were filming a rally of party candidate Moazzem Hossain at Malda North constituency in Malda district, around 500 Km north of Kolkata.

Despite the police denying having any information about the alleged manhandling, a leading Bengali channel beamed footages of the incident.

The West Bengal chief minister has been targeting the EC with verbal vitriolic ever since the latter ordered transfer of senior police and administrative officials based on complaints from the opposition.

Though she did not directly asked party workers to attack EC officials, Mamata’s words could have incited her party men to attack panel officials.

The EC has asked for recordings of rallies where Mamata has allegedly spoken against it.
On Thursday, some EC personnel were filming a motorbike rally organised by the Trinamool in support of its candidate Hossain at Manikchak in Malda district.

Motorbike rallies are prohibited under the EC rules, but Trinamool activists were said to have been provoked seeing panel officials shooting videos.

Hossain refuted allegations that he was at the place where the altercation occurred, but television footage shows he was present during the incident.