EC snubs Trinamool, Bengal Govt: Asks - "How it happened, or who were behind attack on Mamata"

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India raises some basic and fundamental questions which probably every informed voter of West Bengal is seeking  -- "how it happened or who could be behind the incident (alleged assault on Mamata)".

Sources said the state government through its Chief Secretary in its report submitted to the poll panel referred to the presence of a huge crowd at the spot at Nandigram wherein Mamata Banerjee was injured on March 10; but there is no mention of the “4-5 people”, who the Chief Minister had earlier alleged had attacked her.

The incident had taken place in Birulia Bazar of Nandigram - where she is locked in a three cornered against Suvendu Adhikari of BJP and Minakshi Mukherjee of CPI-M.

"Yeh saazish zaroor hae. ...ek bhi police nahi tha. SP bhi nahi tha (This was a conspiracy, there was no police, not even the SP," she had said immediately at the spot on Wednesday, March 10, and had claimed that perhaps four-five people had tried to attack her.

It is understood the Election Commission has found the report of the Chief Secretary "sketchy" and thus it has been asked to submit another report with 'more details'.

Mamata's political detractors including from Congress, CPI-M and BJP have alleged that the episode appeared a part of scripted drama.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha, has termed the episode as "Bhandami (fraudulent)" and suggested that Trinamool Congress was trying to draw a political mileage. Trinamool Congress had earlier even blamed Election Commission for the 'attack' on their party supremo and had linked it to transfer of the state DGP.

The pol panel on Thursday also rejected the change that West Bengal DGP was booted out at the instance of the ruling BJP at the centre. It said, "This (Trinamool allegation) virtually tantamounts to undermine the very foundation and fabric of the Constitution of India, the most sacrosanct document in any democratic polity".

"People of Bengal had given him an opportunity for 10 years but she did not do anything....Now people are ready for her Visarjan (to dump her)," state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said. 

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"It looks undignified to even respond to the allegations of all this being done at the behest of a particular political party". - Election Commission on Trinamool Congress charge for removing DG, West Bengal

New Delhi:

The Election Commission outright rejected the change that West Bengal DGP was booted out at the instance of the ruling BJP at the centre and said: "It looks undignified to even respond to the allegations".

Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress had said - "Who will take responsibility for the attack on Mamata Banerjee, when the EC is in charge of administration? EC has to take responsibility. The BJP is asking the EC to remove an official, and they are removing him". 

The poll panel said it's "unfortunate" that the letter written by the Mamata Banerjee-led party a day after she was 'injured' in Nandigram is "full of insinuations and averments". It said the letter "undermines the very foundations" of the Constitution.

 It further said -- "It is completely incorrect to suggest that the Commission has taken over the law and order machinery in the state in the name of conducting elections and appropriated the whole governance structure, etc."

Ms Banerjee had on March 10 had alleged that she was "attacked" and "pushed" by four-five men and that there was a "conspiracy against her". 

In the memorandum to the Election Commission, the Trinamool Congress said the Commission should take the responsibility for the "attack" on Ms Banerjee because it had recently ordered removal of the state police chief.

BJP leaders Dilip Ghosh and Shamik Bhattacharya have backed the poll panel version.

CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty also said the argument placed by the EC had merits as it was "never" a case that general law and order during election time rests with the poll panel.

"It is never a case that if there is a case of dacoity and theft and poll panel will now be held responsible," he said.

The senior Marxist cautioned that it would be unfair to say that we do not have any responsibility as the Election Commission has now taken over. "By these gestures, we will only add to the woes of the common people," he said. 

In its letter, the Election Commission said the Nandigram incident involving Mamata Banerjee is "indeed an unfortunate incident and needs to be inquired into with promptitude and dispatch".

"Having said that, it is rather unfortunate that the memorandum in question (sent by TMC) is full of insinuations and averments, which in fact questions the very basis of creation and function if the Election Commission," the Commission said.

It added, "This virtually tantamounts to undermine the very foundation and fabric of the Constitution of India, the most sacrosanct document in any democratic polity."

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