Bengal bypolls: TMC files complaint with EC against BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul

TMC filed a complaint with the Election Commission on Thursday against Agnimitra Paul, BJP’s candidate for the by-poll to the Asansol Lok Sabha seat.

Trinamool Congress on Thursday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Agnimitra Paul, BJP’s candidate for the by-poll to the Asansol Lok Sabha seat, for her alleged comment ‘blow lands on us, we will retaliate’, during the ongoing election campaign.

A purported video went viral on Wednesday where Paul was heard shouting to her party supporters during a meeting in Asansol, “I am telling you if a blow lands on us, we will retaliate in equal measure”.

Justifying her alleged comments, she told reporters later, “If someone punches us, we cannot reciprocate with ‘namaskar’ (polite greeting). We cannot hug that person. Our response would be to land a counter punch on the assaulter.”

Earlier, a purported video footage of the Pandabeswar Trinamool Congress MLA Narendranath Chakraborty created a storm where he was heard telling party workers “to intimidate committed BJP supporters so that they do not go to booths on the day of polling.”

The EC had on Wednesday barred Chakraborty from campaigning for the Asansol by-elections for violating the model code of conduct by allegedly issuing such open threats to BJP voters and supporters at a party meeting.

Attaching the video and the press meet footage of Agnimitra Paul, an actress and BJP leader, TMC state General Secretary Kunal Ghosh said in a mail to the CEO’s office, “From her conduct it is evident that Paul has decided to repeatedly promote violence in a desperate bid to win her seat. Her speeches not only emboldened members/supporters of BJP to use violence against opponents but has also eventually terrorise the entire electorate,” the letter said.

The ruling party advocated immediate action “including but not limited to criminal proceedings against Paul.” The other steps it suggested included taking necessary steps to ensure BJP and Agnimitra Paul “are refrained from repeating such violations during the pendency of the ensuing election.”