The Trinamool Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India, alleging that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made divisive and defamatory remarks targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The complaint refers to Sarma’s public statement at a campaign rally in Cooch Behar district, where he reportedly insinuated that Banerjee’s concerns about BJP coming to power in West Bengal were solely related to beef consumption, not other meats. Trinamool Congress condemned Sarma’s statements as politically inappropriate and accused him of inciting religious animosity among communities in West Bengal.
The ruling party further criticized Sarma for baseless claims that the Muslim population in West Bengal was involved in illicit beef trade, alleging that such remarks aimed to sow distrust and hostility towards a specific religious group. Trinamool Congress emphasized that these statements could disrupt the peaceful election process and incite social unrest, potentially leading to law and order issues. The party urged the Election Commission to take strict action against Sarma and the BJP, including issuing a show-cause notice and initiating legal proceedings against the Assam Chief Minister.
Trinamool Congress also called on the Election Commission to direct relevant police authorities to immediately file a First Information Report against Sarma for his alleged inflammatory comments, which were deemed as promoting communal discord and endangering public harmony during the electoral period.
