EC taking tough stand on voter intimidation in Bengal, says BJP after TMC leaders’ arrests

New Delhi, April 4 (IANS) In the run-up to the West Bengal Assembly elections, the BJP has welcomed recent action against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders accused of voter intimidation, calling it a sign that the elections will be “free and fair”.

BJP’s Information Technology Cell Chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, posted on X, “Another TMC goon, Hafijul Molla Pradhan of Deuli I Gram Panchayat, who was threatening voters, has been arrested and necessary legal action is being taken. Two arrests of TMC leaders who attempted to intimidate voters clearly show that the EC is taking a tough stand against such elements.”

“This sends a strong message that the ensuing elections will be free and fair. Come out and vote for change,” he added.

The BJP has been sharply critical of TMC and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming that the ruling party is more concerned about “illegal Muslim infiltrators” than about the rights and safety of Bengalis, particularly Hindu Bengalis. Party leaders argue that the TMC’s priorities undermine local voters and threaten the integrity of the electoral process.

Malviya earlier attacked TMC for allegedly labelling Indian tennis star Leander Paes as an “outsider” after he joined the BJP at the party’s national headquarters in New Delhi earlier this week.

In his social media statement, Malviya said, “The Trinamool has a problem with Bengalis and Hindu Bengalis in particular. Yesterday, they called Leander Paes, a son of the soil, an outsider, forcing him to underline that he is proud to be a descendant of Michael Madhusudan Dutt, a true nationalist who made immense contributions to Bengali and Indian literature.”

The BJP also raised concerns about a letter Mamata Banerjee wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP of attempting to enrol voters from other states in West Bengal through mass submissions of Form-6 applications for new voter enrolment.

The party said that the arrests of Hafijul Molla Pradhan and the other TMC leader signal that the ECI is taking strict action against voter intimidation, emphasising that citizens can exercise their franchise without fear. BJP leaders continue to urge voters to come out and vote for change as the state heads into a highly charged electoral contest.

–IANS

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