EC observers ordering detention of TMC workers during polling hours: Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the three special observers of the Election Commission were ordering police officers to detain TMC workers during the polling hours, asserting that she would move the Supreme Court against such a “conspiracy” after the elections.

Addressing party members at the Gitanjali auditorium in Bolpur in Birbhum district, Banerjee said that she can’t be silenced even if she is show-caused.

“Enough is enough. I don’t have any issue if they (EC observers) are working for free and fair elections but they have been working only to help the BJP. They want to finish off Trinamool,” the chief minister alleged.

“These officials are giving orders to detain our men on the night before the polls and keep them in custody till 4 pm. This WhatsApp conversation has been given to me by people in BJP,” she said, showing the transcript of a purported chat between the special observers with DMs and SPs.

Banerjee said that her party, TMC, will not take this lying down and move the Supreme Court against such a “conspiracy and partisan approach” after the elections.

“However, these three retired people won’t be able to influence the elections. Their partisan conduct will help BJP win only seven-eight seats. I personally don’t believe BJP will cross the 70-mark,” she claimed.

Banerjee also hit out at the EC over the spike in Covid-19 cases in the state, maintaining that the movement of lakhs of people from one district to another for poll-related works was the reason behind it.

The central forces personnel and the people who came from other states for campaigning were also not made to undergo RT-PCR tests, she claimed.