Cong,Siddiqullah join govt chorus of postponing polls for Ramzan

A day after Mamata Banerjee-led government said that it would file a review petition in the Supreme Court for changing the dates of the panchayat polls citing the Muslim holy month of Ramzan

A day after Mamata Banerjee-led government said that it would file a review petition in the Supreme Court for changing the dates of the panchayat polls citing the Muslim holy month of Ramzan,the Congress party and Peoples Democratic Conference of India (PDCI) on Sunday said they too would urge the apex court to modify the election schedule keeping in mind the minority community.

Our minority cell will file a review petition in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking the dates for panchayat polls to be rescheduled,as they are now falling in the month of Ramzan when our Muslim friends fast during the day, said Congress spokesperson Abdul Mannan.

Accusing the state government of shedding crocodile tears over the elections being held during Ramzan,Mannan said: There were nine advocates representing the state government at the Supreme Court when the panchayat case was heard but they did not keep Ramzan in mind. Now after the order was given,Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) is crying hoarse about it. Why this double standard? In fact we demand an apology from the chief minister.

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PDCI chairman Siddiqullah Chaudhury too joined the rescheduling chorus saying his outfit would also move the Supreme Court. The deployment of so many of central forces during panchayat polls is in any case an ominous sign. Now we will have the polls during the Ramzan. Its not possible for the Muslim community to take part in the campaign. So the polls should be postponed, Chaudhury told a TV channel.

Meanwhile,some Muslim outfits took out rallies in Kolkata protesting against panchayat polls being schedule in the month of Ramzan,and demanded that the polls be further postponed.

State Election Commissioner Meera Pandey today met Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra to discuss poll preparedness. The Commission has already convened an all-party meeting on Tuesday.

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