Trinamool moves EC against 'excesses' by Central forces

Kolkata: Alleging blatant misuse of Central forces during the third phase of elections on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) lodged two complaints with the Election Commission. The party alleged that Central forces intimidated voters so that they cast votes in favour of 'one party'.

"The blatant misuse of Central forces continues unabated. Despite us repeatedly raising this issue ,@ECISVEEP continues to be a mute spectator while men in uniform are being misused at several places to openly intimidate TMC voters & influence many to vote in favour of one party," TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee tweeted.

Senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim lodged an official complaint with the state CEO office on Tuesday afternoon in connection with the biased role of Central forces during the elections. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien wrote a letter to the state CEO alleging gruesome sexual assault on a minor girl by a Central Force jawan at Tarakeshwar , Hooghly.

The TMC has urged the Commission for a detailed investigation in the case and has also filed a complaint at Tarakeswar police station.

"The Central forces in a number of booths have been acting as BJP agents and telling the voters to vote for the saffron party. The Commission has made such a huge deployment of Central forces but one of our woman candidates Sujata Mondal Khan has been assaulted. They have also prevented minority communities from entering booths for voting," said Hakim.

In the letter of complaint regarding sexual assault TMC has expressed apprehension that "the sexual attack has the effect of terrorizing the electorates of the constituency and transcends all notions of a free and fair election."

The TMC also alleged that Central Force Jawans have prevented voters from entering the booth without voters slip at a number of booths in Diamond Harbour and also in Hooghly district.

According to TMC, Central Force Jawans assaulted TMC polling agents at a booth in Satgachia, South 24-Parganas and tried to prevent TMC party workers from setting up camps outside 200 m radius at a booth in Diamond Harbour. The Central forces allegedly did not allow TMC booth agents in a booth at Amta in Howrah and a few booths at Arambag in Hooghly too.

Intimidations by Jawans have also been alleged from booths at Diamond Harbour, Falta, Tarakeshwar , Khanakul etc. TMC has also alleged Central forces 'excesses in a few booths against visually-impaired voters.