EC issues notice to West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh over his Sitalkuchi violence remarks

File image: West Bengal BJP unit chief Dilip Ghosh

The Election Commission (EC) on April 13 issued a  notice to West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh over his remarks that more Cooch Behar-like killings may happen in the next phase of assembly elections if "naughty boys like the ones who died in Sitalkuchi" try to take the law into their hands.

The poll body asked Ghosh to explain his stand over his remark by 10 am on April 14.

"Naughty boys received bullets at Sitalkuchi. If anyone dares to take the law into his hands, this will happen to him also," Ghosh said without elaborating on the phrase 'naughty boys'.

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Four persons died as CISF personnel opened fire after some people "attempted to snatch their rifles" while voting was underway in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency area in the fourth phase on April 10.

"The naughty boys, who had presumed that the rifles of the central forces were just for a show during election duty, will not dare repeat the same mistake after seeing what happened in Sitalkuchi," he said while addressing an election rally at Baranagar in North 24 Parganas district on April 11.

"On April 17 (date of fifth phase of polling) as well, the central forces will be at the booths. Sitalkuchi-like incidents may happen if people try to take the law into their hands," he said.

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His comment triggered protest with TMC demanding his immediate arrest.

Earlier in the day, the poll panel imposed a ban on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rahul Sinha from campaigning for 48 hours over his remarks on the Cooch Behar firing incident in which four locals lost their lives during the fourth phase of polling in West Bengal.

The ban, an order by the poll panel said, commences from 12 pm on April 13 and will be forced till 12  pm on April 15.

Sinha, the West Bengal BJP candidate from Habra constituency, allegedly said on April 12 that not four but eight people should have died in the Sitalkuchi violence that took place during the fourth phase of West Bengal Assembly elections in Cooch Behar on April 10.

West Bengal is voting in eight phases. The fifth phase will be held on April 17.