West Bengal elections: BJP files complaint with EC against Mamata Banerjee, seeks 48-hour campaign ban

The development came a day before the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on Thursday. The second phase will be held on April 29.

In response to these allegations, the BJP requested several stringent actions from the Election Commission. The complaint prays for the withdrawal of her ‘star campaigner’ status and the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against her for incitement to violence. The petition also calls for enhanced Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployment in sensitive wards of the Jagatdal constituency and mandates the videographic recording of all her future public meetings to ensure compliance with the law.

The crux of the complaint centres on an alleged “sustained, multi-stage attack” on the CAPF. According to the document, during a speech on April 21, Banerjee used “culturally coded metaphors” to threaten central forces with physical harm, specifically mentioning dishes like dhokar dalna (deception), bichuti (stinging nettle), and neem as euphemisms for physical retaliation.

The complaint argued that these statements were operational directives intended to incite violence and obstruct public servants from performing their duties.

Further, the complaint states a specific “harassment protocol” allegedly encouraged by Banerjee. The complaint alleged she instructed women voters to confront CAPF personnel and file FIRs based on “manufactured pretexts” of molestation if they were stopped at polling booths. It asserted that this strategy was a deliberate attempt to subvert the electoral process by disabling the presence of central forces through vexatious criminal proceedings, thereby creating an atmosphere of intimidation.

The complaint cited a “call for counter-retaliation” during a speech where Banerjee allegedly questioned the deployment of various military and paramilitary wings. “I have never seen an election like this. They have brought the military… They have brought CRPF, they have brought CAPF, they have brought BSF. They have brought ITBP… All of them are BJP’s favoured people. And having brought them, they are saying they will rig the vote, loot the EVM… Remember, in Bengal, we survive inch by inch; to capture this place is not so easy. If they loot people’s votes, people will hit back,” Banerjee allegedly said.