West Bengal Assembly elections | EC notice to BJP leader Dilip Ghosh over Sitalkuchi comments

Election Commission also banned BJP leader Rahul Sinha from campaigning for 48 hours for his statement on the Sitalkuchi firing incident

The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday issued a notice to West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh for violating provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and Indian Penal Code for making an “inflammatory statement” threatening the people of Bengal during a public rally in Barangar, North 24 Parganas. The EC said it had received a complaint from All-India Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien about the speech that was “an open threat” to Bengal and its people. Referring to the Central forces firing on a mob on polling day on April 10 in Sitalkuchi, in which four people were killed, Mr. Ghosh said the incident would be the start. “Where did so many naughty boys come from? Those naughty boys were shot at yesterday in Sitalkuchi. These naughty boys will not be there in Bengal. This is just the beginning. Those who thought that the Central forces ' rifles were meant to be just for show have well understood now the power of cartridges. And this will be carried on throughout Bengal,” Mr. Ghosh was quoted as saying in the EC notice.