Mamata Banerjee stands by allegations against ECI
What's the story
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stood by her allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI). She alleged that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and other officials threatened and shouted at her during a meeting. The allegations come after a 90-minute meeting between Banerjee and ECI officials, which the poll body has denied.
Accusations
Banerjee accuses ECI of being BJP's IT cell
Banerjee has accused the ECI of being "arrogant and dishonest," especially in its handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. She claimed that voters' names were deleted over minor discrepancies like spelling errors or title changes. "They first removed people's names. The Election Commissioner is the BJP's IT cell," she said, alleging that the ECI was acting on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Official response
ECI officials reject allegations
ECI officials have rejected Banerjee's allegations, saying she left the meeting without hearing their side. They said CEC Kumar responded to her concerns but was interrupted by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. The officials also said that law and order would be maintained and any illegal actions would be dealt with according to the law.
Protest and plans
Protest outside ECI office
After the meeting, Banerjee staged a protest wearing a black shawl, expressing her hurt and distress. She said this was the first time she had seen such an arrogant and dishonest ECI. The standoff has now reached the Supreme Court, with reports suggesting that Banerjee might appear before it if a plea challenging SIR is taken up on Wednesday.