BJP lodges complaint with EC against TMC minister

The BJP on Monday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and minister Firhad Hakim for allegedly issuing a veiled threat to voters.

“Yesterday (Sunday) a ruling party minister who is also the Mayor of Kolkata said that the CRPF and election observers come to the state for some days and then they leave. The rest of the time the West Bengal Police looks after people. What does this mean? It is a veiled threat to all voters in West Bengal,” said state BJP vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar.

He was speaking to reporters after an all-party meeting at the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office in Kolkata.

Majumdar further alleged that Hakim’s comments were not only anti-democratic but also illegal.

“His (Hakim’s) comments as a minister and spokesperson of his party are not just against democracy but are also illegal. We have urged the EC to stop such things,” said Majumdar.

Hakim on Sunday took a veiled dig at the BJP for having too much faith in central forces and said that although central forces were deployed during the by-election for the Uluberia Lok Sabha seat and two Assembly seats, the TMC got thumping victories.

He also said, "State Police gives us throughout the year and central forces just come for two or three days. The credit for the peaceful situation in West Bengal goes to the state police and the government.”