TMC complains to EC against Suvendu for ‘hate speech’
Kolkata: Ahead of the bypolls in the state Trinamool Congress (TMC) filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (EC) against senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, alleging he engaged in hate speech during an election campaign rally.
A 3-member TMC delegation, comprising Kunal Ghosh, Shashi Panja and Jay Prakash Majumdar submitted the complaint to the office of the CEO, West Bengal on Monday along with excerpts of the alleged remarks made by Adhikari, the party said.
In the letter submitted by TMC to the West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the ruling party stated that Adhikari’s remarks were “designed to provoke communal disharmony”, suggesting they crossed a line into divisive rhetoric.
The ruling party in Bengal claimed Adhikari targeted the AITC, party’s Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam and also neighbouring country Bangladesh, in his speech on November 9 for the bypolls to Taldangra Constituency in Bankura district. Adhikari, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Bengal Assembly allegedly referenced incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh, saying: “Have you seen the photos from Bangladesh? They have destroyed 596 temples. What atrocities were committed against Hindus and Tribals? They [TMC] want to turn Bengal into a second Bangladesh.”
The TMC claimed that such comments are part of a “broader election strategy” by the BJP aimed at destabilising the state’s communal harmony. “Such hateful criminal rhetoric is consistent with the BJP’s election propaganda and poses a serious threat to constitutional democracy,” the letter read.
Trinamool Congress called for immediate intervention from the EC, demanding censorship of Adhikari’s future speeches and penalties against both him and the BJP. It stated that the rhetoric is dangerous, particularly during the sensitive election period.
The development adds to the friction between the TMC and BJP as both parties engage in intense campaigning for the bypolls in six assembly constituencies scheduled for
November 13.
