BJP files complaint with EC against Mamata Banerjee, says she is appealing for votes on communal lines

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has filed a complaint with the Election Commission accusing Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of seeking votes by appealing to people on communal lines.

Referring to a speech made by Mamata Banerjee in East Midnapore on Wednesday, the BJP said, "Contents of the video reveal that Mamata Banerjee has intentionally, with a malafide objective, attempted to communalise and spread hatred on religious lines."

In its letter to West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer, the BJP said Mamata Banerjee's speech was "highly provocative" and its tone and tenor was to "aggravate existing differences between communities on religious



lines".

The BJP has taken objected to a part of Mamata Banerjee's speech where she said in Bangla "kopale tilok kete, ekta gerua dress poreamadar bangla sonskriti ke dhongsho kore dichhe". This roughly translates to: "Wearing a saffron dress and sporting a tilak on the forehead, they [BJP] are destroying the Bengal's culture."

The BJP claimed this speech violates the Model Code of Conduct for election, the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People Act.

"It also amounts to a corrupt electoral practice," the BJP said.

Election to the West Bengal Assembly is being held in eight phases this time. Voting for the first phase will be held on March 27 and for the last phase on April 29.