Mamata asks EC to rename Model Code of Conduct as ‘Modi Code of Conduct’

Kolkata: Condemning the Election Commission (EC) for barring entry of political leaders in Cooch Behar for the next 72 hours, following the violence that took the lives of four on Saturday during polling, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a dig at the poll panel saying it should rename Model Code of Conduct as “Modi Code of Conduct”.

“EC should rename MCC as Modi Code of Conduct! BJP can use all its might but NOTHING in this world can stop me from being with my people and sharing their pain. They can restrict me from visiting my brothers and sisters in Cooch Behar for 3 days but I WILL be there on the 4th day!” Banerjee tweeted.

Mamata announced that she would visit the families of the men killed in firing by security forces as soon as the three-day period, when the EC-imposed restriction would be in force, was over.

On Saturday, four persons were killed as CISF personnel allegedly opened fire after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles”, in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district. In this backdrop, Mamata announced that she would be visiting the families of the victims on Sunday.

However, an Election Commission order issued later banning the entry of politicians in Cooch Behar district for 72 hours starting from Saturday evening threw a spanner in her programme.

Former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who recently joined the TMC, also condemned the EC order. “Election Commission has covered itself with mud by stopping Mamata from going to Coochbehar. After all she is still the CM of Bengal and it is her duty to visit the place of this unfortunate occurrence. We know for certain now that EC is not fair”, Sinha said in a tweet on Saturday evening.