EC issues notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her minority vote remark

The Election commission on April 7 issued notice to West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee for her appeal to Muslim voters earlier in the week to not let their vote get split between different political parties. According to the notice, EC has granted Banerjee 48 hours to explain her stand.

The notice comes after BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had on April 5 approached the Election Commission, seeking action against Banerjee, alleging that she violated the Representation of the People's Act by asking Muslims to come together and vote for her party in the assembly polls.

Banerjee on April 3 urged a section of minority community in the state to not divide their vote which might help BJP to win the ongoing Assembly elections. Without taking any name, Mamata claimed that the saffron party has engaged “two Muslim leaders” to divide the minority vote share in West Bengal.

"I am requesting my minority brothers and sisters with folded hands don't divide the minority votes after listening to the devil person who has taken money from the BJP, EC's notice quoted Banerjee's speech from the rally.

On April 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the TMC supremo's appeal to Muslims to vote en bloc for her party saying that it reflects fears that minority votes are slipping out of her hands.

Modi, who addressed two public meetings during the day, also pointed out that a similar appeal to Hindus by his party would have drawn the wrath of the media and the Election Commission, reported PTI.

Asserting that Banerjee has problems with people sporting a "Tilak" and wearing saffron, Modi said her angry reactions indicate that she has already lost the elections.

"Didi recently asked all Muslims to vote en bloc for her. It shows that the Muslim vote bank is slipping out of her hands. Had we said the same thing that all Hindus should unite, everybody would have criticised us. The EC would have sent us notices. We would have been censured," Modi said.

With PTI inputs