TMC moves EC against Sukanta’s ‘ED threat’ to party workers

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) alleging that the state BJP president Sukanta Majumder threatened its party functionaries of coercive action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In its complaint, Trinamool said it had previously drawn the attention of the EC to the “illegal” manner in which the BJP has allegedly been weaponizing various Central agencies “to harass and throttle the campaign efforts of all opposition parties across the country during the ensuing elections.”

TMC alleged that Majumder, at a public meeting organised at Gangarampur, threatened Prasanta Mitra, chairman of Gangarampur Municipality and the brother of Biplab Mitra who is Trinamool’s candidate from Balurghat Parliamentary constituency. Majumder allegedly said that Prasanta Mitra will be taken into ED custody for a period which is longer than his time served as the chairman of the municipality concerned.

The party told EC that Majumdar is not only a candidate in the ensuing elections, but also the president of the BJP’s Bengal unit. Trinamool alleged that the threat sends a clear message that the ruling dispensation at the Centre has undoubtedly taken complete control of Central agencies with the sole intention of misusing their offices to create hindrances for TMC leaders and workers.

It was requested that the EC penalise Majumdar and frame guidelines to restrain Central agencies from taking any steps against TMC functionaries that would hinder their electioneering activities till the end of the elections.

Further, it requested transfer of the directors of the ED, CBI and the Income Tax Department and the National Investigation Agency.