Abhishek accuses Centre of ‘undermining democracy’

Kolkata: After Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee criticised the Centre’s decision to implement ‘One Nation, One Election’ policy, the party’s national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, on Monday, dismissed the idea as “laughable” and declared that the TMC would oppose it.

He also said after the ‘One Nation, One Election’ policy the BJP government at the Centre may talk about ‘One Nation, One Political Party and One Nation One Leader’.

“They (Centre) are changing the Constitution. No matter how hard they try, till the time we are here, we will not allow this,” Banerjee asserted.

“Regarding ‘One Nation One Election’, the ones who are saying that elections will now be held only once across the country, the entire thought is laughable and we have said this repeatedly. The continuous deprivation and step-motherly attitude by the Central Government is something that everyone has witnessed in the past,” Banerjee said. “One month ago, the Assembly elections in Jharkhand — which is already a small State — were conducted in two phases. The ones who are conducting elections in a small State in two phases will conduct a nationwide election in one phase?” he asked.

“During the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, the election was held in Bengal over seven phases. In my Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha Constituency, the election was held in three phases. Diamond Harbour & Falta was one phase, Satgachia & Bishnupur another phase, and Budge budge, Maheshtala & Metiabruz was another phase,” Banerjee stated. “It is my right to cast my vote during the Assembly, panchayat, municipality, and Lok Sabha polls. I have a right to vote in all these elections and you (Centre) will snatch away this right from me and say I can vote only once? How is this feasible?” Banerjee asked.

Meanwhile, Banerjee said that if some people feel that the EVMs can be manipulated, a delegation of them should visit the Election Commission (EC) and show a demo or evidence proving that there is some malware or technology to hack EVMs. “This is my personal opinion that those who are raising questions on the EVMs should show a demo of its discrepancies to the EC. They should show any video [as evidence] to the EC. I have been conducting elections on the ground for a long time. If someone works well during EVM randomisation and the booth workers check EVMs during mock polls…I don’t think there is anything substantial in these allegations of EVM manipulation,” Banerjee added.