We want peaceful, fair LS polls in Bengal: BJP

A BJP delegation met the Election Commission on Monday and requested it to conduct the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal in a "violence free and fair" atmosphere.

"In view of the ongoing violence by workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, we requested the Election Commission that the Lok Sabha elections should be conducted in the state in fair and peaceful atmosphere.

"The Trinamool workers recently attacked those who participated in a rally conducted by Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah," BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said after the meeting with the poll panel.

Naqvi said the party requested the panel to review the current situation in the state and keep some officers, who have been playing their role like Trinamool Congress workers and are part of the violent incidents there, away from election duty.

"We have also demanded deployment of Central Armed Police Force in West Bengal to thwart any untoward incident and maintain peace during the election process," he added.

He said the Trinamool workers in that state have been continuously thwarting the BJP's pre-poll efforts.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was also part of the delegation, said: "We brought it to the EC's notice certain incidents in West Bengal which occurred because of complete cooperation of the ruling Trinamool Congress government."

She said the BJP wants the Lok Sabha polls to be conducted in a "free and fair environment".

"We highlighted to the EC several instances which show that the government in West Bengal run by Trinamool Congress does not believe in democracy...

"We highlighted the names and positions of such government officials to the Commission, who work as state government stooges.

"We informed the Commission that the officials are acting with the government by delaying permissions which have been applied for three to four days before every event," Sitharaman said.

A recent such case was that of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's rallies, which the district authorities did not permit.

She said every BJP worker was being threatened by the Trinamool cadres.

"The Trinamool is clearly rattled by the growth of the BJP," she said, adding, "it is an irony that a Chief Minister herself is screaming and saying that democracy is under threat."

"I am afraid she has created an environment in West Bengal that we have to come here to represent to Election Commission and we have very clearly highlighted the incidents.

"We have requested the Commission to be very clear in their role. All the political parties should conduct themselves in such a manner that a free and fair atmosphere can be created for every party, which the Trinamool is clearly trying to subvert," she added.

--IANS

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