'State's admin machinery was under EC till May 3, ask poll panel about violence'

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders on Thursday asked the Central team from the Home Ministry to get in touch with the Election Commission of India to know about the violence during and after the election as the state's administrative machinery was under the poll panel till May 3 midnight.

Addressing a press conference at the Trinamool Bhavan, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, party's Rajya Sabha MP, said the officials from the Home Ministry, Governor and members of the Human Rights Commission should get in touch with Sudeep Jain, Deputy ECI as the law and order was under them till May 3 midnight.

"Those who are pointing their fingers at Mamata Banerjee and holding her responsible for violence should know that the law and order was under the ECI since the election schedule was announced and the Model Code of Conduct had come into force. Even the Governor in his tweet had indirectly held her responsible. The MCC was lifted on May 3 midnight," he maintained.

Coming down heavily on the BJP leadership, he said the party's central leadership, including Narendra Modi and Amit Shah had delivered hate and provocative speeches. "They had threatened the people of Bengal. The state leadership had followed their line and its state president Dilip Ghosh in several election rallies had threatened TMC workers of dire consequences," he said.

He urged the BJP leaders not to incite people and behave sensibly. "We are against violence and condole the death of those who got killed. We hope that the leaders will behave sensibly and help control violence," Roy added.