NEW DELHI:
West Bengal
chief minister
Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday unleashed an all-out offensive against the Election Commission, accusing the poll body of acting on the instructions of the BJP.
Mamata's sharp attack came hours after the Election Commission, in an unprecedented move, curtailed campaigning in the state by a day in the wake of violence during Amit Shah's roadshow yesterday.
Accusing the Election Commission of giving time to Prime Minister to finish his rallies, Mamata questioned why the ban on campaigning was not enforced from today. Prime Minister is scheduled to address two election rallies in West Bengal tomorrow, in Mathurapur and Dumdum constituencies.
The West Bengal chief minister hit out at the poll body for "interfering in the functioning of an elected government at the behest of the BJP."
"Never seen this type of EC. It's full of RSS people," Mamata said and accused the poll body of not acting on any complaints of the Trinamool Congress.
Accusing the poll panel of being biased, Mamata alleged that it was not the Election Commission but Narendra Modi and Amit Shah who directed the removal of state home secretary.
Stating that EC should have taken action against Amit Shah for violence in Kolkata, Mamata wondered whether the poll body's directives were due to the "threat" issued by the BJP chief during a media meet in Delhi on Wednesday morning.
"There is no such law and order problem in West Bengal that Article 324 can be clamped. It is unprecedented, unconstitutional and unethical. It is actually a gift to Modi and (BJP president) Amit Shah," she claimed.
The West Bengal chief minister also made personal attacks against the Prime Minister.
Kolkata witnessed wide-spread violence during BJP president Amit Shah's massive road show in Kolkata yesterday. A bust of 19th century Bengali icon
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
was also vandalised during the violence.
(With inputs from agencies)