Kolkata, Aug 7 (IANS) Trinamool Congress General Secretary and newly-appointed leader of the party’s Parliamentary team in the Lok Sabha, on Thursday, launched a scathing attack against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the latter’s directive to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant earlier this week, asking for immediate suspension of four election officers and lodging FIRs against them.
All four of the election officers have allegedly been found guilty by the EC of involvement in the wrongful addition of names in the electoral rolls of two Assembly seats in two districts of the state.
“The ECI is overstepping its authority and also interfering in the functioning of the state government. The authority of the ECI can be enforced only after the election dates are announced and the Model Code of Conduct is in force. Almost ten months are left for the elections in West Bengal and the commission has started acting from now only,” Banerjee told media persons outside Kolkata Airport before leaving for New Delhi to attend the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
He also accused the ECI of working at the behest of the BJP. “The BJP is trying to use the ECI to ensure that all Bengali-speaking people cannot vote in the forthcoming elections. The present role of the commission is shameful. They are stepping beyond their authority,” Banerjee said before leaving for Delhi.
Later in the day, he is also supposed to attend a meeting of all the allies of the Opposition INDIA Bloc.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for New Delhi, he also launched an indirect attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the decision of the US government to slap India with a 50 per cent tariff, the highest among all countries.
“Now questions should be asked to him who has clicked photos with Donald Trump and those who campaigned for Trump in Texas. The tariff will severely affect the economy of the country, if imposed. This is a diplomatic failure. India should immediately act on this. The country that spoke about a 56-inch chest is shown red eyes by other countries now,” Banerjee added.
He also pointed out that West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, or the West Bengal government, never invited Donald Trump or campaigned for Donald Trump. “Donald Trump said that the Indian economy is dead. I don’t agree. I would say that it is in the ICU,” Abhishek Banerjee said.
–IANS
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