BJP should tender unconditional apology, says Subrata

Kolkata: Commenting on the judgment of the Supreme Court which has scrapped repolling in 20,000 seats where the candidates have won uncontested in the three-tier Panchayat election, Subrata Mukherjee, state minister for Panchayats and Rural Development on Friday came down heavily on Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah and demanded their unconditional apology for spreading canards against the Trinamool Congress and the Bengal government for unleashing violence in those seats where the candidates had won without any contest.

"In the meetings held recently in Bengal, both Modi and Shah had criticised the TMC for unleashing a reign of terror that had helped party candidates to win in 20,000 seats without any contest. They tried to confuse the people of Bengal. The Supreme Court today (Friday) in its judgment has scrapped repolling in those seats which proves that the Bengal government was in the right track. Under such a situation, they should tender an unconditional apology for their statements," he said adding:

"The judgment has exposed the intention of the BJP to stall all development work in rural Bengal and in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Trinamool will win in all the 42 seats."

It has also instructed the state government to publish the notification in connection with the 20,000 seats immediately.

The Opposition can file a petition within 30 days from the issuance of notification under Section 79 of West Bengal Panchayat Act.

In case of Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samity, the candidates can appeal before the civil court while the Zilla Parishad candidates can appeal before the district courts.

The Supreme Court also scrapped the filing of

nomination by email and WhatsApp as there are no such provisions in the West Bengal Panchayat Act.

Mukherjee said the judgment is an eye opener for the Opposition parties who have always tried to stall rural development as "they know that if elections are held on the basis of development, they have little chance to win."

He further added that the notification to set up the Panchayat boards will be issued soon and they will be formed accordingly.

The department will swing into action as it will have to make up for the time that has been lost when the boards could not be set up due to the court cases and that has affected work badly.

"We have bagged several awards from the Centre in rural development and we will carry on with our work and 8/9 pilot projects taken up by us will receive awards," he maintained.