Didi Backs 7 Suspended WB Govt Officials, Threatens ‘Worldwide Campaign’ Against EC, BJP
Showing courtesy, we allowed the parliament to function,” the Trinamul Congress supremo pointed out.
Kolkata: A day after the Election Commission (EC) suspended seven West Bengal government officials for their dereliction of duty as the assistant electoral registration officers (AERO) in the special intensive revision (SIR) of the voters' list, chief minister Mamata Banerjee came out in their full support.
She also threatened to launch a “world wide campaign” against the BJP-rule at the Centre for destroying democracy through the EC in the country while addressing a press meet at the state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday.
Referring to the seven suspended officials, the CM made clear that they would not lose their jobs and would be engaged in “alternative work”, other than anything related to SIR due to the EC action on them, as they did not get a chance to defend themselves against the charges they were accused of.
She said, “I'm sure they will perform well in the districts. Whoever will be demoted by others, will be promoted by us” before attacking the central government. “After 2026, this government will not exist at the Centre. We have not spoken out though many incidents have happened meanwhile. Showing courtesy, we allowed the parliament to function,” the Trinamul Congress supremo pointed out.
She added, “If anyone thinks of snatching democratic rights and finishing the polls before it actually happens then it should be kept in mind that I retaliate when I get hit. I will conduct a world wide campaign on this democratic set up and culture in India, if needed. It does not mean I'm against my country. I love it.”
Calling the EC "Torture Commission, Tughlaqi Commission" over it's frequent orders, Ms Banerjee argued, “Recently Bangladesh went to polls. Everybody thought there might be violence. But see how peacefully they did it! And for a democratic country like India, it is a matter of shame for the Tughlaqi Commission. Your threat culture has demolished democracy. You have become a super-Hitler!”
Meanwhile, the state government has registered FIRs against five of its personnel for “wrongful addition of names” in the voters' list in two assembly constituencies- Baruipur Purba in South 24 Parganas and Moyna in East Midnapore more than six months after it was ordered by the EC.
The five are Debottam Dutta Choudhury, posted as deputy project director (monitoring), district rural development cell in South 24 Parganas and electoral registration officer (ERO) of Baruipur Purba, Tathagata Mondal, assistant programme officer, MGNREGS at Joynagar-1 Block and AERO of Baruipur Purba and Biplab Sarkar, district officer minority affairs in East Midnapore and ERO of Moyna.
Others are Sudipta Das, panchayat accounts and audit officer at Tamluk block and AERO of Moyna and a casual data entry operator Surojit Halder.
